Spring Break
Cuban speaker denied visa
Michaela McCaughey
Issue date: 2/10/04 Section: News
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02/10/04 - Rev. Raul Suarez, executive director of the Martin Luther Iing Memorial Center and Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Havana, Cuba, was denied a visa to the United States. He was scheduled to speak at the University of Rhode Island's 10th Annual lecture on Multiculturalism today.
"The U.S. State Department says that [Cuban] elected government officials are prohibited from coming to the United States," said Melvin Wade, director of URI's Multicultural Center. Suarez is an elected deputy on Cuba's National Assembly, or parliament.
Suarez has traveled to the U.S. over 20 times, and yet is not allowed a visa to come to the country for today's lecture.
Wade credits this change to the events of Sept. 11, and the Bush administration's characterization of Cuba as a terrorist state.
"In my opinion, it raises questions about the nature of civil liberties in the United States," said Wade.
Dr. Miren Uriarte and Rev. Lucius Walker will deliver the Suarez's speech instead.
"It wasn't very difficult to find replacements, because of the network of people who know this man," Wade said. The two speakers have known Suarez since the founding of the Martin Iing Memorial Center in 1987.
Uriarte is a professor of human services at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Walker is the executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization and Pastors for Peace.
Associate Director of IFCO Ellen Bernstein said the organization has been traveling to Cuba since 1991 educate people about American policy with Cuba and to fight against the economic blockade on the country. Cuba has universal health care and free education, said Bernstein, adding that they are a humane, cultured society.
Regarding Suarez's visa denial, Bernstein said, "It's just another example of the mean-spirited policies of the U.S. at this point." It is part of the "information blockade," an effort of the U.S. government to keep their policy in place, she said.
"The U.S. State Department says that [Cuban] elected government officials are prohibited from coming to the United States," said Melvin Wade, director of URI's Multicultural Center. Suarez is an elected deputy on Cuba's National Assembly, or parliament.
Suarez has traveled to the U.S. over 20 times, and yet is not allowed a visa to come to the country for today's lecture.
Wade credits this change to the events of Sept. 11, and the Bush administration's characterization of Cuba as a terrorist state.
"In my opinion, it raises questions about the nature of civil liberties in the United States," said Wade.
Dr. Miren Uriarte and Rev. Lucius Walker will deliver the Suarez's speech instead.
"It wasn't very difficult to find replacements, because of the network of people who know this man," Wade said. The two speakers have known Suarez since the founding of the Martin Iing Memorial Center in 1987.
Uriarte is a professor of human services at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Walker is the executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization and Pastors for Peace.
Associate Director of IFCO Ellen Bernstein said the organization has been traveling to Cuba since 1991 educate people about American policy with Cuba and to fight against the economic blockade on the country. Cuba has universal health care and free education, said Bernstein, adding that they are a humane, cultured society.
Regarding Suarez's visa denial, Bernstein said, "It's just another example of the mean-spirited policies of the U.S. at this point." It is part of the "information blockade," an effort of the U.S. government to keep their policy in place, she said.
