On Tuesday morning, after two days of silence, the Bolivian Interior Ministry announced the arrest and imminent extradition to Cuba of Cuban dissident Dr. Amauri Sanmartino Flores at his home in Santa Cruz, according to The Miami Herald.
A refugee in Bolivia for the past six years, Sanmartino, who is a medical doctor, was arrested on Saturday by armed men in plain clothes, according to eyewitnesses. He was then transported to the Bolivian capital of La Paz to await extradition.
Sanmartino was originally granted refugee status in Bolivia after having defected from Cuba by swimming to Guantanamo Bay. Under the controversial "wet foot/dry foot" policy of the US Immigration Service, Cubans are granted asylum in the US only if they actually land on American soil ("dry foot"). Because Guantanamo Bay is not US territory (it is leased from the Cuban Government), Sanmartino could not be granted residence in the US, and American authorities arranged asylum for him in Bolivia.
A prominent member of the Cuban dissident colony in Bolivia, Sanmartino has increasingly become an embarrassment to the government of President Evo Morales, a close ally of Fidel Castro. In recent years, he has arranged for and encouraged the defection of more than 100 Cuban doctors from the ranks of the more than 2,000 Cuban medical personnel currently in Bolivia on loan from the Castro government.
Santa Cruz, where Dr. Sanmartino resides, is known as a center of opposition activity against the Morales regime.
Spokesmen for the Cuban dissident community in Bolivia say Sanmartino is "A victim of the long arm of the (Castro) dictatorship," and the Morales government is complicit in delivering a Cuban citizen to "The gloomy machinery of the Castro gulag for the simple act of having expressed opinions in opposition to the system of disinformation, manipulation and indoctrination of that regime," according to the Spanish political blog, HispaLibertas (translated from Spanish by this author).
Osvaldo Peredo, spokesman for Morales' political party, Movement Toward Socialism ( Movimiento Al Socialismo, MAS) declared, "Mr. Sanmartino has violated his refugee status through his political activities and repeated attacks against the government."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - troll
well presented opinion piece once again Clavos - it is sure to generate a lively discussion...I'll have to troll around developing some (academic) knowledge about Bolivia in order to participate
for now: Cuba's medical foreign aid sure is impressive isn't it - ?
2 - Clavos
Thanks, troll. If moonraven gets involved, you might want to actually hop a plane down to La Paz to do your research, otherwise you'll have no cred with her. :>)
While doing my own research I came across an interesting tidbit about Bolivia, which wasn't germane to my central point, so I didn't include it in the article:
Bolivia has a thriving business in slavery; or as it's called officially: "trafficking in persons."
It's a source and serves as a distribution center for both labor and sexual slaves. Its primary markets in that heinous activity are Spain, Argentina, Chile, and Brasil.
I'm working on an article on that.
3 - Dave Nalle
Good lord, they aren't selling slaves to the Saudis? I'm surprised - everyone else is.
Dave
4 - Franco
Good work Clavos,
When were talking about Dr. Amauri Sanmartino Flores we are talking about a new Bolivian Government Gestapo of silencing freedom of speech and that includes individuals as well as public media.
We do not have to wonder if it is happening. It is happening and this is only the start. Here are updates, which includes Venezuela, as they and Bolivia are two peas in the same pod. Ecuador will be next on suppression of these freedoms and will be worth watching. Cuba is getting huge and doing so very quickly.
Dec 21, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP -- Venezuela's information minister accused the international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders on Thursday of lying about government plans to call a referendum on the future of an opposition-aligned TV station.
Willian Lara said the Paris-based watchdog tried to "mislead public opinion" and falsely create the impression that private broadcaster Radio Caracas Television, or RCTV, was being targeted by the government.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said in a statement that if the Venezuelan government is threatening to take action against private broadcaster Radio Caracas Television, or RCTV, "because it is an opposition network, then it is clearly a violation of editorial diversity."
Concessions held by some privately owned TV networks expire early next year, and Chavez during his recent campaign for re-election backed holding a national referendum on whether they should be renewed.
Dec 28, 2006
Today, Radio Caracas Television became the first victim, when Chávez announced that he will not renew its license in March of next year. "Start shutting down the equipment," Chávez said in a speech at Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas military headquarters. He told Marcel Granier, the owner of Radio Caracas Television, to "pack your bags and turn off the lights."
Chavez also said he will seek to change the name of the country's military to the Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela, adding the name of 19th century South American liberator Simon Bolivar.
The name change would be part of an overhaul of the constitution next year, Chavez said. The president this month said he will seek to change the constitution to end term limits on presidential re-election.
In other news on freedom of the press for Bolivia and Venezuela
Bolivia - 13 DÉC. 2006
Santa Cruz TV station target of arson attack, threats
Bolivia - 15 DÉC. 2006
Radio Erbol director assaulted, threatened; journalists in Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija departments in danger, says RSF
Bolivia - 18 DÉC. 2006
Assaults on journalists critical of Santa Cruz department's secessionist movement continue
Bolivia - 20 DÉC. 2006
Nine journalists assaulted in San Julián during confrontations over Santa Cruz secession proposal; two "La Razón" reporters beaten in Cochabamba
Bolivia News
Venezuela - 08 DEC 2006
Telemundo television network prevented from broadcasting on elections
Venezuela - 18 DEC 2006
Government supporters assault Globovision television station journalists
Venezuela - 21 DEC 2006
Future of private television network may be subject to referendum and its broadcast frequency offered to cooperatives
Venexuela News
5 - Howard Dratch
Excellent reportage, Clavos. I think it is time to drop the terms "left" and "right" for all these countries and movements.
I also thought I was "left" and here Chavez makes it seem terrible. I never considered Fidel Castro "left" since he is such a dictator and used to want to vaporize me in Tampa when I was a boy. Now Evo Morales, who I thought would be a fair, ex-farmer bringing justice to Bolivia begins to ape Chavez.
Allende was "left" and trying hard, Pinochet was said to be "right" and was filled with torture and murder.
Perhaps it is time to speak about the "good guys" and the "bad guys". Sanmartino sounds like one of the good guys. Up with freedom! Support the good guys!
6 - Clavos
Thanks, Howard.
Excellent point about the "left/right" labels, especially in Latin America. I'm keeping it in mind for my next article.
I just re-read this one to see if I'd used the terms. I did, once, and redundantly at that:
Incidents like the Sanmartino arrest point to the accelerating spread of the totalitarianism practiced by left wing socialists in Latin America.
7 - STM
Perhaps the US Government should offer him asylum.
That would seem the right thing to do in the circumstances, as he undoubtedly faces jail or ostacism at the very least should he return to Cuba. The high profile of this probably means he won't just disappear, but he will face retribution.
Which now makes him a genuine refugee.
8 - Clavos
Couldn't agree with you more, Mate. Here's an ideal opportunity for the US to really put its principles to good use.
We should also can that stupid wet foot/dry foot policy.
I've actually seen film footage on the evening news where a hapless group of refugees actually makes it to water shallow enough off Miami Beach that they can stand, and the Border Patrol and local cops herd them back to deeper water, where the Coast Guard takes them aboard and takes them back to Cuba!
And you can well imagine the treatment they receive when they get back there, after having tried to escape.
The policy also infuriates the Haitians, who by and large are coming here for the same reasons as the Cubans, but who have no such "free pass."
9 - Dave Nalle
Today, Radio Caracas Television became the first victim, when Chávez announced that he will not renew its license in March of next year.... The president this month said he will seek to change the constitution to end term limits on presidential re-election.
How deeply embedded are the heads of people like Moonraven that they can continue to babble nonsensically about Chavez not becoming a dictator?
Dave
10 - STM
"We should also can that stupid wet foot/dry foot policy.
I've actually seen film footage on the evening news where a hapless group of refugees actually makes it to water shallow enough off Miami Beach that they can stand, and the Border Patrol and local cops herd them back to deeper water, where the Coast Guard takes them aboard and takes them back to Cuba!"
Mate, we put all our refugees/asylum seekers in special detention centres (children, too) while their cases are being reviewed, or are going through the courts. They are very well cared for, and have many of the comforts of home (more, I guess for some of them) but it's a process that can take some years.
Others arriving by boat (very common, with many flying or sailing to Indo and then boarding rickety boats for the last leg of the trip to Oz) have been held in camps offshore, in places like Christmas Island and Nauru. Often, they are intercepted by the Royal Australian Navy before they touch our soil and are found to be victims of people-smuggling operations. Many have forked out their life savings believing the process to be above board.
My view is, allow people to be held in the community rather the camps (unless they are shown to be would-be illegal migrants coming here for purely economic or more nefarious reasons), but still investigate each case.
While some are certainly queue jumpers, including those who overstay their visas, for many there is actually no queue in the countries they come from.
11 - Donnie Marler
Excellent piece, Clavos! Informative and interesting reporting.
I hope the doctor's case is resolved before he's deported back to Cuba. Evidentally, Mr. Morales is attempting to emulate his pal, Mr. Chavez, and to impress Castro, who, since he's busy dying, probably doesn't give a damn.
I'd offer him asylum in the U.S. if it were in my power to do so. He's a brave man.
12 - Joe
Hi Clavos!
Excellent article however I must admit that coming back from business trip that included Bolivia just yesterday, my feelings are a bit mixed about Dr. Sanmartino's case.
Bolivian television showed several times Dr. Sanmartino calling for the secession of Santa Cruz region and being part of violent riots that RSF has reported about.
Doing that kind of action in the US would have cost the same to Dr. Sanmartino IMHO.
I believe we have to worry about any attack to our democratic values but in this case I would take the case with a bit of caution.
Greetings from Paris!
Joe
13 - Clavos
Hi joe,
Thanks for the compliment!
I think that if Dr. Sanmartino lived here in Miami and called for the secession of South Florida, it would merely be regarded as him exercising his right to free speech.
Participating in riots IS frowned upon here, but, based on the outcomes of other violent protests in this country in recent years, that probably would only earn him a few relatively minor charges such as unlawful assembly and disturbing the peace, and they would probably be dropped before he went to trial.
What Morales is trying to do to him is far more severe, and if he's sent back to Cuba, is almost certain to result in his imprisonment and mistreatment at the hands of Castro's secret police.
Bon soir, M'sieu.
14 - Clavos
Donnie, thank you.
I'd offer him asylum in the U.S. if it were in my power to do so. He's a brave man.
Another reader suggested the same. I agree with you both; the US should resolve the conflict by doing so.
15 - moonraven
As usual, clavos gives us a completely bogus piece, indicating that the government of Bolivia is being "totalitarian" by ending the political asylum of an anti-castrista.
It is normally a condition of political asylum that the person refrain from political activity in the host country. That includes political activity directed at his/her home country as well as interference in host country matters.
This is not the first refugee that shot his mouth off and had his aslyum ended. Carlos Ortega, 2002 coup leader and lockout promoter in Venezuela was given the boot from Costa Rica for violating the terms of asylum. He returned to Venezuela, was arrested, convicted and escaped from prison last August. He is currently on the lam--some say still in Venezuela, others claim he is in Miami--where another convicted Venezuelan, ex-president Carlos Andres Perez regularly hangs out when not in his official asylum country, the Dominican Republic.
Clavos turns violation of laws in Bolivia into a violation of the human rights of the violator.
Nice work, if you can get uninformed folks who are too lazy to check it out for themselves to believe you. This site is, as usual, chock-ablock with those folks.
16 - Clavos
martita,
See #13.
17 - moonraven
Wrong again, nails.
Your number 13 does NOT address the issue of his violating the conditions of aslyum.
Nice try, but no cigar--cubano or otherwise.
18 - moonraven
Bolivia has asked the US to take the guy, as Cuba doesn't want him:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061228/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/bolivia_cuban_dissident_1
According to this story--but US press always suspect--he was not a refugee but an immigrant.
In either event, the ball is back in the Bush Gang's court.
19 - Dave Nalle
Hard to believe Cuba would reject him - I'd think they would have a nice damp cell reserved for him. Shows what the pressure of public opinion can do even to the most unrepentant tyrants.
Dave
20 - Clavos
It is normally a condition of political asylum that the person refrain from political activity in the host country. That includes political activity directed at his/her home country as well as interference in host country matters.
Funny, but here in the US, Cuban and other exiles are permitted complete freedom to speak out against their home country's policies. Cubans (and others) are also allowed to speak out against the Castro government in other countries, such as Spain and the UK, to name just two.
21 - moonraven
Sorry, nails, you are trying to pull another fast one.
Cuban exiles in the US are able to call for the assassination of Castro every 30 seconds because the US actively forments that behavior--that's why since the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 Cubans who make it to the US automatically qualify as political refugees when their toes touch US soil and do not have to go through the application process that folks from other nationalities do.
If they were calling for the assassination of George W. Bush every 30 seconds it would be a whole other story--and they would be booted out on their collective ass immediately.
No matter how you throw up that horseshit, the fact remains that your hero in Bolivia was calling for the fall of the Bolivian government as well as for succession of eastern Bolivia.
Imagine him in the US calling for the fall of the Bush Gang and the succession of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi--especially in a public march against said Gang--er, government. He'd be back twinkling his toes on Guantanamo.
Stop making up stories and go back to selling boats.
22 - Clavos
Thanks for the update, Martita. Good to hear Sanmartino won't be facing return to Cuba.
Here's a quote from an article in the International Herald Tribune, Americas edition:
"We've spoken with Cuba and Cuba doesn't want him," Interior Vice Minister Ruben Gamarra said Thursday, apparently putting to rest Sanmartino's stated fears that he would be killed upon returning home.
Dr. Sanmartino must be quite relieved.
23 - moonraven
He's not smart enough to feel relieved. Anyone who has acted out and jeopardized his future the way he has in Bolivia has a brain the size of a gnat's.
24 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Why is it no surprise that Marthe is defending this extradition?
I understand why the Morales government is doing it. Something similar happened in America when it pressured the USSR to release a fellow named Solzhenitsyn. They did. He was everybody's favorite refugee until he went to Harvard and told off the elites in America and let them know what the thought of them. Then he was a non-person. If the elite establishment in the States would have felt comfortable sending Solzhenitsyn back to the USSR, they would have in the twinkling of an eye. Instead, he is (or was?) a non-person living in anonymity in the good old USA.
25 - Clavos
Anyone who has acted out and jeopardized his future the way he has in Bolivia has a brain the size of a gnat's.
So, you endorse suppression of freedom of speech?