US sent Costa Rican kids undercover in anti-Cuba ploy

World Today

Details have emerged of a clandestine U.S. operation aimed at encouraging political dissent in Cuba. According to an investigation by the Associated Press, the Obama administration secretly dispatched nearly a dozen young Latin Americans to scout for Cubans they could turn into political activists.

CCTV’s Michael Voss reports.

U.S. sent Latin youth undercover in anti-Cuba ploy

Details have emerged of another clandestine U.S. operation aimed at encouraging political dissent in Cuba. According to an investigation by the Associated Press, the Obama administration secretly dispatched nearly a dozen young Latin Americans to scout for Cubans they could turn into political activists.

In November 2010, a group of young Costa Rican activists were sent to Santa Clara in central Cuba. The project, secretly funded by USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, was to organize an HIV prevention workshop at a local school.

According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, the ulterior motive was to use this as a recruiting ground for young activists. Cuban student Manuel Barbosa spent time with one of the Costa Ricans.

Alan Gross is currently serving a 15-year jail sentence for illegally smuggling in banned satellite equipment to provide internet access outside of the government’s control.

These latest revelations come just months after a secretly funded social media network called ZunZuneo was exposed. It started with non-controversial messages and chat but the aim was to gradually introduce political content encouraging dissent.