February 28, 1996
Web posted at: 10:45 p.m. EST
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Havana's best hopes for recovering from a painful economic depression crumbled Wednesday when President Clinton and Congress struck a deal to impose fresh sanctions on Cuba that would fetter international investment in the country.
The vote came after a compromise was reached with the administration on a central provision of the bill giving Cuban-Americans the right to sue individuals and companies in U.S. courts if they use property confiscated by the Cuban government.
The bill allows Clinton to delay implementing the right-to-sue provision every six months if he determines that doing so is in the national interest or would help Cuba's transition to democracy.
Cuba's shooting down of two small American planes off the Cuban coast Saturday spurred Congress to complete the Cuba sanctions bill. Last fall, different versions of the bill were passed by the House and Senate but never became law, partly because the Clinton administration had objected to several controversial provisions.
The Helms-Burton legislation, named after Republican sponsors Sen. Jesse Helms and Rep. Dan Burton, also urges the president to seek an international embargo against the Castro government and authorizes him to assist democratic groups there.
Backers of the bill, which has strong congressional support, say it could provide enough pressure to bring down the Castro government.
The president's special advisor for Cuba, Rick Nuccio, said negotiators were pleased with the bill. "We think we have through this effort, with some long hours and some grumpiness on both sides, moved legislation forward that the president can endorse and that will serve the peaceful transition."
Helms, R--North Carolina, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bill sends a powerful message: "Farewell Fidel."
Rep. Benjamin Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee, said it would "bring an early end to the Castro regime by cutting off capital."
But Sen. Claiborne Pell, ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he will vote against the bill because it would worsen living conditions for the Cuban people, alienate U.S. allies, and "tie the administration's foreign policy hands."
The United States is the only major Western country that maintains a trade embargo on Cuba. Canada and other countries have in the past voiced their opposition to unilateral U.S. action to restrict their rights to invest in Cuba.
While visiting the United Nations Wednesday, Cuban foreign minister Roberto Robaina called the legislation a "bill against humanity," but said it will have no impact on his government.
Analysts, however, say the legislation will make a difference.
James Whisenand, who publishes "The Cuba Report," said any international investor doing business in Cuba will have to make a heartfelt decision: whether to do business with Cuba or do business with the United States.
On Tuesday, the United Nations denounced last Saturday's shooting down of two planes piloted by Miami-based Cuban exiles.
The four people aboard the two planes shot down are presumed dead. The planes were operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a group formed in 1991 to help the Coast Guard rescue refugees fleeing Cuba.
Administration officials Wednesday were engaged in furious international efforts to convince the Cuban government not to interfere with this weekend's planned memorial flight by Brothers to The Rescue over the same spot where the planes were shot down.
On Wednesday, Robaina said the United States would be responsible for any "new provocations and violations" of his country's airspace.
In Havana, Cuban security forces rallied Wednesday in support of the air-to-air attack. Soldiers chanted that if foreigners violate Cuban airspace they will "bring them down, bring them down."
At a well-organized meeting in a military training college, cadet soldiers and instructors gave speeches and chanted slogans opposing the international condemnation of the Saturday's attack.
"If they come again, we'll bring them down, we'll bring them down, we'll bring them down," chanted the young soldiers.
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