Council On Hemispheric Affairs in the Public Arena: Covering periods of December 13, 2014 to January 9, 2015:
Council On Hemispheric Affairs in the Public Arena:
Recent citations of COHA references to be found in the media:
Covering periods of December 13, 2014 to January 9, 2015:
Wendy Raymont, Chair of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs
Listed below are prints and selected electronic papers to COHA personnel, with members of its staff and its 35 member internship count. Some of these originate from COHA media assets, the remaining papers are a resort of others’ assets including partnership agreements.
Eurasia Review
1- “Obama Pledges Continued Support To Peña Nieto Despite Human Rights Concerns – Analysis” By Cameron McKibben (COHA) on January 8, 2015.
2- “Why Obama And US Congress Should Go Further With Cuba – Analysis” By Clemént Doleac (COHA), on December 25, 2014.
3- “US-Cuban Relations Reimagined – Analysis” By James A. Baer (COHA) on December 26, 2014.
4- “A Legacy Of Violence: Impunity For Murdered Journalists Continues In Paraguay” By Louise Hojen (COHA) On December 17, 2014.
5- “Alan Gross Released: Towards A Turn In US–Cuba Relations – Analysis” By Larry Birns and Clement Doleac (COHA) On December 18, 2014.
Venezuela Analysis
1-“Rapprochement Between the United States and Cuba and Sanctions Against Venezuela”By WILLIAM CAMACARO and FREDERICK B. MILLS, January 6th 2015. http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11134
2-Citation in “Academics, Journalists and Activists Urge Support for Venezuelanalysis.com” By Venezuelanalysis.com
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11099
“Senior research fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), Frederick B. Mills Ph.D, commented on this aspect of the site’s work, stating, “Venezuela Analysis is the top news source for timely, on the ground, fair-minded news reporting on Venezuela and its opinion and analysis page has become a major and indispensible point of reference for research on the political, economic, social, and cultural spheres of this South American nation”.”
3-“U.S. Sanctions Against Venezuela: A Wrong Turn For Regional Diplomacy” By F. Mills & L. Højen – The Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), on December 15th 2014. See more at http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11068
Opinion Internationale (France)
1-“U.S. sanctions against Venezuela: A wrong turn for regional diplomacy” by Fred Mills and Louise Hojen on Wednesday 17 December 2014. See more at http://www.opinion-internationale.com/en/2014/12/17/u-s-sanctions-against-venezuela-a-wrong-turn-for-regional-diplomacy_32137.html
2-“Alan Gross released: Towards a turn in U.S. – Cuba relations” by Clement Doleac (COHA)in L’Opinion Internationale on December 19, 2014. Consulted on http://www.opinion-internationale.com/en/2014/12/19/alan-gross-released-towards-a-turn-in-u-s-cuba-relations_32231.html on December 19, 2014.
3- “Human Rights Violations in Brazil: Report of the National Truth Commission » in L’Opinion Internationale, by Clement Doleac (COHA), on January 09, 2015, Consulted on http://www.opinion-internationale.com/en/2015/01/08/human-rights-violations-in-brazil-report-of-the-national-truth-commission_32731.html
JNS.ORG
Citation in “Is Cuba rapprochement a bellwether for Obama’s forthcoming Mideast policy?” Posted on December 22, 2014 by JNS.org and filed under Features, News, Israel, U.S..
“Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs think tank, expressed similar sentiments. He said that when Obama first campaigned for president, he promised the American people that he would take action on the long-standing Cuba issue, but until recently had made weak moves.”
“[Obama] was becoming increasingly discredited,” Birns said, noting that what comes after this latest maneuver could be “a whole rash of possibilities”—including bold moves in the Middle East. »
Heritage Florida Jewish News:
“Is Cuba rapprochement a bellwether for Obama’s forthcoming Mideast policy?” January 2, 2015 | Year 39, No. 16.
Israel news Cloud
“Is Cuba Rapprochement a Bellwether for Obama’s Forthcoming Mideast Policy?” January 2, 2015.
CounterPunch
1- ‘A Consistent Imperial Strategy, Rapprochement Between the United States and Cuba and Sanctions Against Venezuela » by WILLIAM CAMACARO and FREDERICK B. MILLS, Weekend Edition January 2-4, 2015.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/01/02/approchement-between-the-united-states-and-cuba-and-sanctions-against-venezuela/
2- Citation in “ Neoliberalism’s Latin American Struggle » by ROBERT HUNZIKER, Weekend Edition January 9-11, 2015
“Wherever Latin American countries have rejected neoliberalism, life is better. “Poverty in Latin America has been reduced substantially in the last three decades. In the late 1980s, nearly half of Latin America’s population lived in poverty. Today the fraction is about a third. This marks important progress, and it has continued in some area nations. However, it is worth noting that between 2002 and 2008, poverty contracted most in Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Argentina, countries which had largely abandoned neoliberalism,” Dr. Ronn Pineo, Senior Research Fellow, The Free Market Experiment in Latin America: Assessing Past Policies and the Search for a Pathway Forward, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, April 11, 2013. »
3-Citation in “The Brutal Truth, Chile’s Plantation Economy” in Counterpunch by ROBERT HUNZIKER on December 15, 2014. See more at http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/12/15/chiles-plantation-economy/
“According to Gonzalo Durán, an economist and researcher at Fundación Sol, a non-profit organization that focuses on labor issues, “…90 percent of working Chileans make less than 650,000 pesos per month, totaling USD 1,300.” In other words, “Nine out of ten workers in Chile make less than the average minimum salary in developed countries.” (Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs).”
“According to Noam Titelman, president-elect of the Catholic University Student Federation (FEUC), the fuel that sparked Chile’s student movement was “the accumulation of inequality, injustice and hopelessness.” (Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs).”
Fox News Latino (USA):
“Alan Gross trades places with ‘Cuban Five’ men responsible for death of 4 Americans” in FoxNewsLatino, by Andrew O’Reilly Published December 17, 2014. See more at http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2014/12/17/gross-trades-places-with-cuban-five-men-responsible-for-death-4-americans/
Linea Estrategiche. Net
1- “Why Obama And US Congress Should Go Further With Cuba?” by Clemént Doleac, (COHA) 26.12.2014 06:52 www.eurasiareview.com/25122014-obama-us-congress-go-cuba-analysis/
2- “A Legacy Of Violence: Impunity For Murdered Journalists Continues In Paraguay” by Louise Højen, (COHA) on December 17, 2014.See more informacion at h ttp://www.lineestrategiche.org/news/a-legacy-of-violence%3A-impunity-for-murdered-journalists-continues-in-paraguay-(louise-h%C3%B8jen,-coha)-/
Foreign Affairs.co.nz
1-« Obama Pledges Continued Support to Peña Nieto Despite Human Rights Concerns », January 8, 2015 Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis By Cameron McKibben (COHA). http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2015/01/08/obama-pledges-continued-support-to-pena-nieto-despite-human-rightsconcerns/#sthash.a3KXy4ml.dpuf
2-“Why Obama and the U.S. Congress Should Go Further With Cuba? » December 20, 2014 by Clement Doleac (COHA). http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2014/12/20/why-obama-and-the-u-s-congress-should-go-further-with-cuba/#sthash.O6ZoL5oC.dpuf
3-“COHA Research: Nicaragua Prepares for New Canal through Isthmus, Critics line up to Fight new Facility” by Will Rurode (COHA) on December 13, 2014. http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2014/12/13/coha-research-nicaragua-prepares-for-new-canal-through-isthmus-critics-line-up-to-fight-new-facility/#sthash.MRcqynhm.dpuf
4-“Alan Gross Released: Towards a Turn in U.S. – Cuba Relations” By Larry Birns and Clément Doleac (COHA), on December 18, 2014.
http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/category/guest-analysis/
4-“Human Rights Violations in Brazil: Report of the National Truth Commission” by Clement Doleac (COHA) on December 17, 2014,.
5-“A Legacy of Violence: Impunity for Murdered Journalists Continues in Paraguay” by Louise Hojen (COHA), on December 16, 2014.
Telesur:
« Sectores políticos de EE.UU. atacan acercamiento diplomático a Cuba », Política – 18 de diciembre, 2014, Washington, Estados Unidos .
Voxxi:
1- “Improving U.S.-Cuba relations: Bad for the Dominican Republic’s tourism industry?” by W. Alejandro Sanchez (COHA) – Dec 19, 2014 http://voxxi.com/2014/12/us-cuba-dominican-republics-tourism/
2- “2014: A good year for Latin America’s film industry?” by W. Alejandro Sanchez (COHA) – Jan 4, 2015 http://voxxi.com/2015/01/good-year-latin-americas-film-industry/
3-“Mexico: Another priest murdered in Guerrero” by W. Alejandro Sanchez (COHA)– Dec 30, 2014 http://voxxi.com/2014/12/mexico-priest-murdered-guerrero/
4-“US-Cuba relations after President Obama’s speech” by by W. Alejandro Sanchez (COHA) – on December 17, 2014. http://voxxi.com/2014/12/us-cuba-relations-obamas-speech/
ConsortiumNews.com
Citation in “CIA’s Hidden Hand in ‘Democracy’ Groups”, January 8, 2015.
“A Tag Team
From the start, NED became a major benefactor for Freedom House, beginning with a $200,000 grant in 1984 to build “a network of democratic opinion-makers.” In NED’s first four years, from 1984 and 1988, it lavished $2.6 million on Freedom House, accounting for more than one-third of its total income, according to a study by the liberal Council on Hemispheric Affairs that was entitled “Freedom House: Portrait of a Pass-Through.”
Over the ensuing three decades, Freedom House has become almost an NED subsidiary, often joining NED in holding policy conferences and issuing position papers, both organizations pushing primarily a neoconservative agenda, challenging countries deemed insufficiently “free,” including Syria, Ukraine (in 2014) and Russia. »
Spravy Pravda (Slovenia)
Cited in “Obama láme kubánske ľady” by Andrej Matišák,On December 18, 2014. See more at http://spravy.pravda.sk/svet/clanok/339866-obama-lame-kubanske-lady/
“Embargo USA sa ešte nekončí
Alejandro Sanchez z Rady pre hemisférické vzťahy pripomína, že výmena väzňov a kroky vedúce k znormalizovaniu vzťahov medzi Havanou a Washingtonom automaticky nepovedú k ukončeniu amerického embarga. “Verím, že kubánska vláda bude čoraz otvorenejšia,“ povedal tiež pre Pravdu expert na Latinskú Ameriku.”
The Independent (UK):
Cited in “Cuba and US relations in biggest shake-up for decades after release of American aid worker Alan Gross” by Andrew Buncombe, on Wednesday 17 December 2014. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cubaus-relations-in-biggest-shakeup-for-decades-after-release-of-american-aid-worker-alan-gross-9931516.html
“This seems like a big deal,” Larry Birns, Director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, told The Independent. “It has regional implications.”
The New Republic (USA):
Cited in “Republicans Believe in the Power of the Free Market—Except in Cuba, Apparently” by Jessica Schulberg, on December 17, 2014. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120591/obama-ease-cuban-embargo-inviting-republican-hypocrisy
“For several decades, America’s policy has been to funnel money into democracy promotion efforts in Cuba that have no proven efficacy (and endanger the lives of the Americans implementing the projects). In 2009, The Council on Hemispheric Affairs estimated that the U.S. had spent half a billion dollars over the past 20 years enforcing blockade restrictions and broadcasting pro-democracy messages on Cuban radio and TV stations (which were often blocked by the Cuban government).”
Institute for Public Accuracy (USA):
Cited in“Going Down to Cuba” on December 17, 2014. http://www.accuracy.org/release/going-down-to-cuba/
“Birns is the director of Council on Hemispheric Affairs, which today released a statement: “Alan Gross was working in Cuba as a subcontractor of the United States Agency for International Developments (USAID) in 2009, when Cuban authorities arrested him. A Cuban court convicted Gross for smuggling illegal satellite equipment into the island, which in Cuba is considered a crime against the state.
“Given decades of U.S. deployment of psyops and other subversive activity against the Cuban regime, it is not implausible to believe that Gross was likely a player in (intentional or not) a CIA-USAID plot to weaken Castro’s rule under cover of a human rights project. At the time, Havana was undergoing a transition to normal relations with Washington after decades of a ‘special period’ of economic hardship in Cuba caused by the U.S. economic embargo and exacerbated by the fall of the Soviet Union.
“It was not the first time, nor presumably the last, that the CIA and USAID have been caught in a plot to overthrow Cuba’s government through cultural or human rights projects on the island. For example, the CIA-USAID partners promoted a ‘Cuba Twitter’ program aiming at overthrowing the government. The latest one to date was a story exposed by The Nation, which reported a USAID-financed cultural project, aimed at promoting certain political behavior among the dynamic Cuban hip hop scene. These projects, if not futile, routinely prove to be at the very least completely ‘reckless’ and ‘stupid’ endeavors, as stated by Sen. Patrick Leahy. One can only agree with his reasonable statements.””
Greek Newspaper: tvxs
Citation of Larry Birns in “Cuba: The future of the fall of the last cold war wall
TVXS interview ” (based on google translate)
Approximation translation:
“The Larry Birns, director of the “Council on Hemispheric Affairs” (an organization that monitors human rights and political developments in Latin America) and Reese Erlich – the award-winning author of “Dateline Havana: The Real Story of US Policy and the Future of Cuba “, talking in tvxs.gr developments that led to the restoration of US relations – Cuba and answer the question if the” Cuba of Fidel Castro “dies, sketching the future developments bring about the island of Revolution.
“Since Obama took office had made some small but important steps in relations between the two countries, both by easing travel restrictions, secondly by relaxing the telecommunications restrictions on Cuba,” says Larry Birns. Climate change in relations between the two countries begins to emerge when the July 2010 US vote to lift restrictions on the American citizens traveling to Cuba and the lifting of restrictions on agricultural exports from the US to the island of the revolution. Two years later Americans and Cuban officials meet in order to redress the “frozen” since 1963 correspondence between the two countries.
Meanwhile international pressure to lift the embargo prohibits the importation of any product containing materials of American origin, even through third countries, intensifying. “For a long time there was an ever increasing international pressure to end the US embargo against Cuba, which was evident in the results of the UN votes. This year was the 23rd time passed by the UN condemning the US hostility towards Cuba, “says Larry Birns. “The US was under tremendous international pressure, both by the General Assembly of the United Nations, and Latin America. Everyone wanted the US embargo to be lifted. Even domestic polls show most Americans tended to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba and the lifting of the embargo ‘, will complement the Reese Erlich.
“In some international issues, such as anti virus Ebola, Cuba has played an irreplaceable role by sending doctors and nurses on the front line of the front, in cooperation with US efforts to provide financial assistance,” noted Larry Birns. The Ebola is the cause that brings both countries closer to Fidel propose an article of cooperation to fight the virus and the US to send a rare Washington thanksgiving message to Cuba for its contribution to the international campaign treat Ebola.
An important factor for the present and the future of relations between the two countries is the fact that the new leadership of Cuba by a Soviet-style economy is on the verge of collapse, attempts unprecedented reforms using a familiar dilemma: “Or we change or we sink.” “The economic reforms of Cuba also helped to ease tensions between the two countries. In 2011, the private sale of property was legalized, which marked the New Cuban Economy “would tell Larry Birns.
“The agreement thus not suddenly emerged, but came as a result of mutual efforts, after a period of at least 18 months during which were secret negotiations between the leaders of the two countries” will end the Larry Birns.
“This agreement is reciprocal, for both countries, with the United States to clearly insist on the objectives to accelerate the democratization of Cuba. This development marks a new era as the last vestige of the Cold War hostility hopefully will be eliminated as a result of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, “states the tvxs.gr the Larry Birns.
“Cuba by being the only communist country in the hemisphere – a former ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and keeping half a century friendly relations em the Asian giant China – is a focal point in the economic and pOLICY scene of Latin America. The restoration of US – Cuban ties will mean a restructuring of the world order in terms of America, which is becoming more closely united as Cuba restores relations with the United States, “says Birns.
Cuba’s Fidel Castro dies. Havana continues to be ruled by the Communist Party and will continue socialist doctrines, which shall be highly resistant to international turbulence “, continues Larry Birns. “However, Fidel Castro himself has publicly admitted that socialism in Cuba does not work if you do not bring the promised results. Nevertheless, it will take a longer time than we would expect for Cuba to stop regarded as Cuba’s Fidel Castro, “he notes. “The governance model could be changed due to the progressive welfare of civil society, as Cuba is becoming more open to the world, especially in the current period, with the normalization of ties with the US,” says however.
“The changes will come gradually as the US-Cuba relations will improve, especially in terms of economic and trade facilitation. Probably, a new economic model developed in Cuba, but it is unlikely to change the Cuban political structure in the near future. The ideological divide between Cuba and the US will remain a gap, although the hostility would rather moderate “will end the Birns.
Sound Cloud Radio:
Participation in the radio. You can listen it on
https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/us-cuba-animosity-larry-birns
US Spoutnik News:
Cited in the radio program
http://us.sputniknews.com/us/20141217/1013332075.html
It’s a historic day for US-Cuba relations,” says Mr Larry Birns, Director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs from Washington, D.C.
“There is no country in the world the U.S. acted with such animosity as it did towards Cuba.”
Radio4all:
Cited in The Shortwave Report 12/19/14, Listen Globally!You can listen the program on http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/78509
“From RUSSIA- More information on the announced reestablishment of diplomatic ties between Cuba and the US, following a prisoner swap between the 2 nations. Larry Birns of the Council of Hemispheric Affairs comments. Then economist Mervyn Bain discusses the economic embargo against Cuba, that will remain in place unless”
KBOO Radio:
Interviewed in “Finding Cuba with Alan Gross, ‘International Man of Mystery’ and more…” Program: Air Cascadia program date: Thu, 12/18/2014
“Here’s the quote of the day from the Institute for Public Accuracy: Larry Birns is the director of Council on Hemispheric Affairs, which today released a statement: “Alan Gross was working in Cuba as a subcontractor of the United States Agency for International Developments (USAID) in 2009, when Cuban authorities arrested him. A Cuban court convicted Gross for smuggling illegal satellite equipment into the island, which in Cuba is considered a crime against the state.
“Given decades of U.S. deployment of psyops and other subversive activity against the Cuban regime, it is not implausible to believe that Gross was likely a player in (intentional or not) a CIA-USAID plot to weaken Castro’s rule under cover of a human rights project. At the time, Havana was undergoing a transition to normal relations with Washington after decades of a ‘special period’ of economic hardship in Cuba caused by the U.S. economic embargo and exacerbated by the fall of the Soviet Union.
“It was not the first time, nor presumably the last, that the CIA and USAID have been caught in a plot to overthrown Cuba’s government through cultural or human rights projects on the island. For example, the CIA-USAID partners promoted a ‘Cuba Twitter’ program aiming at overthrowing the government. The latest one to date was a story exposed by The Nation, which reported a USAID-financed cultural project, aimed at promoting certain political behavior among the dynamic Cuban hip hop scene. These projects, if not futile, routinely prove to be at the very least completely ‘reckless’ and ‘stupid’ endeavors, as stated by Sen. Patrick Leahy. One can only agree with his reasonable statements.”
And Larry Birns is our guest on the show today.
There is a great deal going on around the block, around the worldthese days… “
Other Interviews:
Also, Mr. Birns performed several interviews with CBC radio, CMC, Moscow Radio.