Odds and ends
- BBC Mundo on Cuban emigrants who are increasingly returning to Cuba to visit, and sometimes to stay. At the immigration office where an emigrant goes to un-do the “salida definitiva” status, there is a “permanent line.” Meanwhile, AFP expects Cuba’s migration reform to come soon.
- Reuters: Cuba is observing three days of official mourning for the late Kim Jong-Il.
- In a recent debate, Republican candidate Rick Perry called for a new Monroe Doctrine “like we used against Cuba in the sixties.” Peter Beinart wonders what he means and what would appeal to him about the Bay of Pigs fiasco.
On the 60 minutes story, they mentioned that Fidel loved scuba diving and had been there. It reminded me that there were at least two CIA plots to assassinate Fidel based on his love for scuba diving.
ReplyDeleteOne, the CIA sprinkled some poison into a diving suit that was supposed to be given to Fidel. He would then wear the poisoned diving suit and the poison would kick in while he was underwater.
Two, the CIA developed an underwater grenade/ mine like device. The idea was to hide it in a brightly colored seashell and deposit it in a place just before Fidel went scuba diving. Fidel would then be attracted to the brightly colored shell, he would pick it up and the whole thing would blow up in his face.
Both ideas were actually developed but the CIA was never able to get someone close to Fidel to actually carry out the plot. I wonder if this stuff is just lying around in the basement of CIA headquarters, very funny!