Country Profile: Cuba - American Memory - Library of Congress
Country Profile: Cuba - American Memory - Library of Congress
Country Profile: Cuba - American Memory - Library of Congress
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<strong>Library</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> – Federal Research Division <strong>Country</strong> <strong>Pr<strong>of</strong>ile</strong>: <strong>Cuba</strong>, September 2006<br />
Security Forces: Civilian authorities control the security forces through the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Interior.<br />
However, most key positions in the ministry are held by <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>of</strong> the Revolutionary Armed<br />
Forces. The security forces include the 20,000-member Department <strong>of</strong> State Security<br />
(Departamento de Seguridad del Estado—DSE), the Border Guard Troops (Tropas de<br />
Guardafronteras—TGF), and the 15,000-member National Revolutionary Police (Policía<br />
Nacional Revolucionaria—PRN). Reorganized in 1998, the PRN is known to be effective in its<br />
primary civil police role. Political control is exercised mainly through the DSE, which is<br />
supported by neighborhood block committees—Committees for the Defense <strong>of</strong> the Revolution<br />
(CDRs). The CDRs constitute a network <strong>of</strong> police informers and armed vigilantes that can be<br />
mobilized to intimidate opposition elements as well as to prevent crime. This network is headed<br />
by the national CDR, a component <strong>of</strong> the PRN. In addition, the Special Forces <strong>of</strong> the Ministry <strong>of</strong><br />
Interior control <strong>Cuba</strong>’s elite rapid-intervention force, consisting <strong>of</strong> two battalions <strong>of</strong> Special<br />
Troops (Tropas Especiales) that have a combined total strength <strong>of</strong> about 1,500. Highly trained<br />
and motivated, they appear to be extremely effective within the limitations <strong>of</strong> their small<br />
numbers. They are equipped with the best personal and close-support weapons available to the<br />
<strong>Cuba</strong>n armed forces.<br />
Internal Threats: The Castro regime’s highly efficient secret services keep close control over<br />
public gatherings, are quick to quash any dissent, and closely monitor opposition groups. As a<br />
result, the Castro regime remains firmly in power and faces no serious internal threat to its power<br />
or stability or any signs <strong>of</strong> unrest resulting from the provisional transfer <strong>of</strong> power to Raúl Castro.<br />
That could change, however, if Raúl Castro, lacking his brother’s charisma and stature, is unable<br />
to govern effectively in a post–Fidel Castro situation and is confronted by a power struggle.<br />
Currently, the only internal security threats are posed by street crime, organized crime, and<br />
illegal emigration. Although street crime has been rising, the crime rate is still lower than in<br />
other Latin <strong>American</strong> states, and the authorities have been making significant efforts to ensure<br />
that incidents do not adversely affect tourism. Nevertheless, some <strong>Cuba</strong>n-<strong>American</strong> gangs<br />
reportedly are actively rebuilding their contacts in <strong>Cuba</strong>, and <strong>Cuba</strong> reportedly has a strong<br />
potential for a resurgence <strong>of</strong> organized crime, mainly related to drug trafficking, money<br />
laundering, and prostitution. Other transnational criminal networks including Russia-based<br />
groups have been establishing a presence on the island. The Italian police have reported that<br />
Sicilian organized crime is interested in developing operations in <strong>Cuba</strong>, seeking to use new<br />
construction projects related to the tourism industry to launder money. All forms <strong>of</strong> trafficking in<br />
persons are crimes in <strong>Cuba</strong>. Despite the absence <strong>of</strong> reports <strong>of</strong> human trafficking in <strong>Cuba</strong> in 2005,<br />
trafficking for underage prostitution and forced labor did occur.<br />
Drug smuggling and illegal emigration are currently <strong>Cuba</strong>’s principal maritime threats. Although<br />
<strong>Cuba</strong>n policy is to prevent, intercept, and destroy drug contraband, the country’s geographical<br />
position and limited coastal enforcement have not discouraged drug traffickers from transiting<br />
<strong>Cuba</strong>n territorial water and airspace. <strong>Cuba</strong> aggressively pursues an internal narcotics<br />
enforcement, investigation, and prevention program and attempts to cooperate with the United<br />
States in narcotics enforcement areas. Nevertheless, <strong>Cuba</strong> is already an important trafficking<br />
transshipment point for drugs from Latin America and is unable to control its waters and airspace<br />
effectively. Most confiscations along the <strong>Cuba</strong>n coastline come from the recovery <strong>of</strong> washed-up<br />
narcotics thrown overboard. Uncertainty regarding Fidel Castro’s illness in early August 2006<br />
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