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| FAILED RESCUE | |
 February 26, 1996  |
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Betty Ann Bowser provides background on "Brothers to the Rescue," the group of Cuban Americans shot down by Cuban fighters last weekend. Then, Jim Lehrer talks with U.N. Ambassador Madeleine Albright.
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BETTY ANN BOWSER: Brothers to the Rescue has been flying missions over the water between South Florida and Cuba since 1992. The pilots look for Cubans attempting to leave their island nation by boat or makeshift rafts. JOSE BASULTO, Brothers to the Rescue: We're here on a humanitarian mission. We're here to save lives. The purpose of this flight is to detect the Cuban rafters leaving Cuba before the weather and the waves and the sharks take them. And then we report them to the U.S. Coast Guard for their safe return to the United States. BETTY ANN BOWSER: Jose Basulto is founder of Brothers to the Rescue. He talked back in 1992 with the NewsHour about the dangers inherent in the missions.
BETTY ANN BOWSER: Basulto also talked back then about what he felt was the need to fly closer and closer to Cuba. JOSE BASULTO: In the beginning, we used to fly only empty runs, and that's when we realized that if we made a closer effort at going for the rafters in Cuba, closer to the shores of Cuba, we would be more successful. So we shifted the emphasis of the operation to flying closer to Cuba, and we fly our mission always beginning 12 miles North of the shores of, of the island, which is the waters that are considered international waters. Besides that, we find them any closer, I'm sure Castro will get 'em before we do.
BETTY ANN BOWSER: Several Republicans denounced both the Castro government's actions and Clinton administration Cuba policy. Among them was Presidential Candidate Bob Dole, who spoke during a campaign stop in Georgia. SEN. ROBERT DOLE, Republican Presidential Candidate: We're getting another taste of Amateur Hour in Cuba right now, because the fact that Clinton has been trying to cozy up to Castro for three years, Castro's taken advantage of it. BETTY ANN BOWSER: In Havana this afternoon, the Cuban government gave
its response. RICARDO ALARCON, President, Cuban National Assembly: So far, they haven't found anything in international waters, but we have found some evidence on our waters, on our territory, and we do have objects on those planes that are in our hands, thus proving that these planes, the incident occurred over Cuban territory. BETTY ANN BOWSER: And a few moments later, President Clinton went before reporters at the White House to detail the steps his administration will take against Cuba. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Today I am also ordering the falling unilateral
actions. First, I am asking that Congress pass legislation that will
provide immediate compensation to the families, something to which they
are entitled under international law, out of Cuba's block assets here
in the United States. If Congress passes this legislation, we can provide
the compensation immediately. Second, I will move promptly to reach
agreement with the Congress on the pending Helms-Burton Cuba legislation
so that it |
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JOSE BASULTO: It is a very dangerous mission. We have been close many
times to losing the lives of pilots. We had a pilot that had an accident
that is in wheelchairs today. We had airplanes hit the water assisting
rafters and come back on only one engine, with the other engine damaged.
We had planes that had been and this is something that I don't like
to discuss that much, in very mysterious ways returned with a broken
engine or losing oil or things of that nature.
BETTY ANN BOWSER: Saturday morning, Basulto and four other pilots took
off from Opalaka Airport near Miami on one of their routine missions.
As they neared Mainland Cuba, two of the three aircraft were shot down
by Cuba MiG fighter jets. The Cuban government said the unarmed Cessna
planes violated their air space. Basulto's airplane was not hit. He
was able to return safely to Miami. Administration officials were quick
to condemn the Cuban attack and called for the United Nations Security
Council to take steps against Cuba.
WARREN CHRISTOPHER, Secretary of State: It is clear that the Cuban actions
yesterday were a blatant violation of international law and a violation
of the norms of civilized behavior. The President has already instructed
United Nations Amb. Madeleine Albright to convene an emergency session
of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the incident and to
discuss an appropriate international response.
will
enhance the effectiveness of the embargo in a way that advances the
cause of democracy in Cuba. Third, I have ordered that Radio Marti expand
its reach. All the people of Cuba must be able to learn the truth about
the regime in Havana, the isolation it has learned for itself through
its contempt for basic human rights and international law. Fourth, I
am ordering that additional restrictions be put on travel in the United
States by Cuban officials who reside here, and that visits by Cuban
officials to our country be further limited. Finally, all charter air
travel from the United States to Cuba will be suspended indefinitely.
These deliberate actions are the right ones at this time. They respond
to Havana in a way that serves our goals of accelerating the arrival
of democracy in Cuba. But I am not ruling out any further steps in the
future should they be required.