ON May 12, Anayansi Rodríguez, Cuba’s permanent representative to UN offices in Geneva, emphasised that the Zunzuneo programme launched by the United States to incite subversion in Cuba, violates the agreements adopted at the Information Society World Summit. Participating in the Science and Technology for Development Commission 2014, Rodríguez explained the true purpose of this mobile phone network. This, he said, was “To increase the number of users to later introduce political content and promote a call for massive demonstrations and thus inciting internal subversion, destabilisation and the development of a political crisis.” ZUNZUNEO VIOLATES INT’L TELECOM LAWS The operation functioned from 2009 through 2012, violating Cuban and US laws, including the CAN-SPAM Act, approved by the US Congress in 2003, which prohibits the sending of unsolicited text messages. “These acts violate, additionally, the spirit of commitment adopted on line C5 during the Information Society World Summit, related to confidence and security in the use of information and communications technology,” she said during the UN commission meeting. Referring to the gathering of personal data for political reasons, “The subscribers [to Zunzuneo] never knew that the service was created by the United States government, or that their private information was being compiled.” Cuba again denounced, before this UN body, the use of new technology for the purpose of destabilisation and insisted that the US government end its illegal, subversive undercover operations. Earlier On May 8, during a plenary meeting of the Council of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva, Cuba warned participants in the UN sponsored body that the undercover Zunzuneo operation, created by the US International Development Agency (USAID) to promote subversion, violates the organisation’s constitution. Anayansi Rodríguez, Cuba’s representative to the Geneva based UN organisations, denounced the so-called Cuban Twitter, which functioned in Cuba between 2009 and 2012. The fundamental purpose of the network was to recruit a large number of users and later introduce political contact via massive, unsolicited text messages, promoting internal destabilisation and ultimately a crisis, Rodríguez said. She emphasised here too that the operation violated Cuban laws and those of the United States itself, including the CAN-SPAM Act approved by the US Congress, which prohibits the sending of unsolicited text messages. Rodríguez pointed out that this type of activity violates the ITU constitution, as it seeks to utilise the social networks for purposes other than the promotion of peace and international cooperation. The ITU Council took note of Cuba’s contribution and called on all member nations to contribute to the development of a climate of confidence and security in the use of new technology and telecommunications. CELAC CONDEMNS USE OF TELECOM AGAINST CUBA The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) too had, on April 29, condemned the illegal use of new information and telecommunication technology against its member countries, in the wake of recent revelations about the so-called Cuban Twitter, Zunzuneo. The mobile phone network was established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote destabilisation of Cuba’s internal order, by sending massive, unsolicited text messages with subversive content. The CELAC statement, released in Havana, asserted that the use of information and telecommunications technology, in violation of international regulations, has a negative impact on nations and their citizens. It emphasised that all such activity must be fully compatible with the principles and purpose of the United Nations Charter and international law, including respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. The organisation reiterated its desire to cooperate in the protection of cyberspace and the promotion of its use for peaceful ends, insisting that the best way to combat violations, such as Zunzuneo type undercover operations, is to cooperate internationally on regulation. Costa Rica, currently holding CELAC’s pro tempore presidency, has asked US authorities to explain illegal acts committed within Costa Rican national territory, during the establishment the mobile phone network. CUBA FLAYS SUBVERSIVE EFFORTS AT UNITED NATIONS At the United Nations too, Cuba has denounced the Zunzuneo operation, while additionally condemning the ongoing illegal radio and television broadcasts, used to further the US policy directed toward promoting destabilisation and ‘regime change’ in Cuba. Cuba’s ambassador to the UN, Rodolfo Reyes, emphasised during the Information Committee’s 36th session that the United States has not abandoned efforts to subvert the political, social and economic order chosen by the Cuban people in exercise of their right to self-determination. Recently revealed were details of the millions of dollars spent on the Zunzuneo undercover operation, a mobile phone messaging network, Reyes reported during the meeting. He also explained that the illegal network was active from 2009 through 2012, and was used to collect users’ personal information, without their permission. These data were then used to create profiles and lists based on gender, age, interests and affiliations of different kinds, meant to be utilised for subversive purposes. US media have released information revealing the scope and magnitude of Zunzuneo, which was created with financing from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This and other destabilisation operations violate both Cuban and US laws, the Cuban diplomat stressed. Reyes added that such activities violate the constitution of the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU), as it uses advanced technology --- social networks in particular --- for purposes far removed from the promotion of peaceful relations and international cooperation. In regards to radio and television broadcasts, Reyes decried the fact that, more than a year since his last presentation to the UN General Assembly’s Information Committee, 1,909 to 2,070 broadcast hours of subversive content were directed toward Cuba every week, using more than 27 different frequencies, in flagrant violation of the ITU regulations. The Cuban diplomat emphasised that the recently revealed US destabilisation projects are “just one page in the more than 50 year history of a hostile policy toward Cuba, which is now supported with new information technology and telecommunications.” Through its permanent representative in the UN, Cuba has demanded that the United States respect international law and end such illegal projects, meant to compliment the economic, commercial and financial blockade it has imposed on Cuba since shortly after the triumph of the Revolution on January 1, 1959. Reyes further emphasised that US actions confirm the need to establish a new mode of governance for internet use and telecommunications --- a new, more just and effective framework directed toward promoting peace and international understanding. CONDEMN ZUNZUNEO: EU DEPUTIES DEMAND In the meantime, the Spanish United Left (IU) has urged that the European Union condemn the US ‘Cuban Twitter’ operation Zunzuneo, intended to promote destabilisation in Cuba, according to Willy Meyer, a EU deputy associated with this bloc. Meyer explained, on April 22, that questions about the recently revealed anti-Cuban project should be included as part of the EU demand that US authorities must be held accountable, politically and legally, for their actions. In a note sent to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, he drew attention to the creation of the mobile phone social network with the illegal use of Spanish platforms. Meyer referred to the information revealed by the AP news agency which confirmed the validity of Cuban condemnations of this type of activity, expressed for years. There is clear evidence, the note said, that the US Aid for International Development (USAID) is one more instrument used to defend the US interests and carry out interventionist political and ideological activities. The Spanish deputies in the EU asked Ashton if she intended to publicly state her opposition to these operations and denounce the United States’ violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. At the same time, they requested her opinion on the use of an agency allegedly devoted to cooperation, such as USAID, for this type of intervention. Given the revelations about illegal US spying in Europe, the deputies asked if the EU leader intended to hold the responsible parties accountable before the law and demand their adherence to regulations established by the ITU. According to Meyer, the Spanish bloc believes that, Ms Ashton, the European Union official responsible for foreign policy, should respond to the recently revealed hostile US moves toward Cuba. Asked about the procedure, Meyer explained that Ashton should respond to the deputies’ letter in writing, although he expressed little confidence in the seriousness of such a response, since European foreign policy is subordinated to US interests. He recalled that when systematic US spying on Europe was revealed by former CIA analyst Eric Snowden, one would have expected negotiations underway on the Transatlantic Free Trade Treaty to be suspended. Meyer emphasised that it would have been logical for Europe to assert its sovereignty given this intervention, but that deputies who suggested such a position were told that, no, the talks would continue. He added that US authorities responsible for this illegal spying have yet to be held accountable before the law. USAID NOT FOR DEVELOPMENT Since its creation, the USAID has demonstrated that it is no development agency. Rather its function is to implement US foreign policy, intervene in local affairs and carry out intelligence activities. Examples abound in Latin America. The agency has promoted destabilisation not only in Cuba, but in Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina, as well. In May 2013, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced his decision to expel USAID from the country, saying, “Never again, to USAID which has manipulated and used our brother leaders, which has used some companeros at the grassroots level, offering charity.” He gave his foreign minister, David Choquehuanca, the task of communicating to the US embassy the expulsion of the organisation “which maintains a mentality of domination.” In Evo en la mira (Evo in the Crosshairs), Argentine journalist Stella Calloni states: “In Bolivia there is documentary evidence that demands for departmental autonomy were promoted and financed by the economic elite of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija, which is the sector chosen to receive funding by the US National Democracy Foundation (NED) and USAID.” In Ecuador, President Rafael Correa suspended several USAID projects underway and threatened to expel the agency for interfering in internal politics, supporting opposition groups and non-governmental organisations which attacked the government. Adriana Rossi, philosophy professor and researcher, explained that one of the ways in which USAID operates is by financing development projects in some communities. To win approval of these projects, a diagnostic study of the community must be completed, providing the means by which an enormous amount of information can be gathered. These data serve the agency very well, allowing decisions to be made about potential conflicts in which they can become involved, and manipulate the community. USAID does intelligence work for the State Department through these projects, she said. Meanwhile in Argentina, foundations and non-governmental organisations such as the Centre for Opening and Development of Latin American (CADAL), the Nueva Generación foundation, Crecer y Crecer (Grow and Grow), the Libertad Foundation and the Centre for Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC), all linked to USAID, have been harassing the national government with constant attacks via media aligned with them. --- Collated from various sources