Q-A with Mr. Machado

Eliz Ashworth- How is Elian Gonzales? What is his life like?

Answer- He leads a normal life. He lives in the same house and he goes to the same school. He does have some protection from possible kidnapping by the family in Miami.

Libby Taggert- If the embargo is hurting the Cuban people more than it is hurting Castro, but the embargo is against Castro, why doesn’t he step down from office for the betterment of the Cuban people?

Answer-The embargo is not against Castro, it is against the Cuban government, ways and the people that support the government. The people want Castro to stay in power. If the US is hurting the Cuban people it should be up to the U.S. to lift the embargo.

Will- Having lived in Cuba and now in Washington, D.C., what society do you think would be best for Cuba?

Answer- Cuba. We have all the rights that we decide to have in Cuba.

Tess- In a 2003 ABC News interview, Fidel Castro refused to comment on what he thought of Saddam Hussein because we were so close to war. Now that Saddam's government is deposed, what is your governments view of him?

Answer- Here the media and government said Saddam created a lot of difficulties…. but war is not the way to resolve anything-it makes more problems. There is no proof of a link to Al-Qaeda and Saddam and where are the weapons of mass destruction? Social problems should be resolved in that country.

Kelley- What is your view of the strongly anti-Castro Florida Cuban community?

Answer- Most of them are not against Castro. But those that are are a powerful minority and are terrorists.

Kyle- You said that the U.S. is paying Cubans to destroy Castro's government. Does the Cuban government have any proof that the U.S. is doing this and how many people are being paid off?

Answer- The Cuban government does have proof. They arrested 75 people for being agents of the U.S.

Natalie- Fidel Castro said to ABC reporter Barbara Walters that he defined Cuban success in terms of education. If innovative thought is a major component of education, why limit the political thought?

Answer- People are free to say everything that they want. Because the US has decided that Cuba is the enemy, the US government is our enemy. We must not help our enemies because the US government funds the Cuban opposition.

Jon- What does your government think of the presidency of John F. Kennedy?

Answer- It is difficult to call someone a good man that sent an invasion to Cuba. We believe there were secret conversations to normalize relations with Cuba shortly before he died.

Jeanette D’Ambrosio- Do you fear that the US could do to your government what it has done to Saddam Hussein?

Answer- There is a possibility that the US could attack Cuba, history shows what the US has done before to other countries. We have already been attacked and if you try it again, we are prepared to resolve the situation.

Andrew- What is the status of the Varella Project? If nothing has been done, why doesn’t the national assembly expedite it?

Answer- It’s American funded. It was defeated in a referendum by 99% of the vote. The project was not legitimate.

Lauren Benishek- Both President Carter and Soviet leader Gorbachev have called on the U.S. to take the first step in bettering relations with Cuba. Since the Bush administration will not take the first step in fixing relations with Cuba, will your government take the first step?

Answer- We are under the blockade not blockading you, so there is not much my government can do to reconcile this.

Johanna- Since I am an American and the U.S. government bars me from traveling to Cuba, what would be the safest way for me to get to Cuba?

Answer- Well, I am a diplomat and I can't tell you to do something that is against the law in your country.

Josh- If there was election in Cuba with more than one political party, do you think Castro would win and if so, why not allow more political parties?

Answer- Parties don't work in Cuba. There's no reason for parties, people like things as they are.

Bettina- Do you believe that Cuban style socialism could have the same rate of productivity as capitalism?

Answer-We could if the embargo was not in place.

Andrew- If I offered you a way to get into the U.S. and become a citizen would you accept? Because we have a bus coming for us right outside. You could hop on and ride away with us.

Answer- Ha, ha, ha, ha, no.

Megan- How much political freedom is there in Cuba? Can one start an opposition newspaper or radio or TV station?

Answer- Yes, but why would one want to be singled out as an enemy? Imagine a pro-Hussein newspaper or a pro-Hitler newspaper during WW II in America?

Veeda- Since the revolution a million people have left Cuba. Why is that?

Answer- It is a natural part of immigration. Many people have left Mexico too.

Tiny- What do Cubans think of Americans?

Answer- They like Americans. We have a lot in common culturally. It is your government that Cubans have a problem with.

Ashley and Yaldeh

Brandy

Alison and Tanasha