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Officials don't see need for Castro death plans

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS
Published December 14, 2006

TAMPA - In South Florida this week, choppers plucked drowning migrants out of the water as boaters intercepted smugglers and treated medical emergencies at sea.

This time, it was only a drill.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security gathered about 500 officials from more than a dozen local, state and federal agencies to run through worst-case scenarios of a mass migration from the Caribbean, like the one that could occur after the death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

South Florida prepared to act by land, sea and air, with options of shutting down airports, closing marinas and limiting fuel sales. But Tampa Bay area agencies were notably absent from the exercises.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office doesn't have a specific plan for what to do when Castro dies. Neither do police departments in Tampa and St. Petersburg. Officials there said they don't think they need one.

Homeland Security has not notified Hillsborough authorities that Castro's death would bring a threat to the county, said Maj. Ed Duncan of the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office.

In his 29 years in service, he said the office has never had to step up enforcement to deal with Cuba issues on American soil.

The 56,000 Cuban-Americans living in Tampa didn't echo the Miami scenes of celebration in the streets late this summer after illness caused Castro to transfer power to his brother Raul.

Unlike Miami, where many Cuban exiles are unified in their hatred of Castro, Tampa's community is more nuanced, shaped by waves of immigration that create a spectrum of views.

Many Tampenos, whose ancestors migrated to Tampa during the cigar factory era in the late 19th century, have more of a historic heritage attachment to Cuba than a hatred of its current leader, making them less likely to take to the streets.

But not everyone agrees that Tampa Bay has nothing to worry about.

Ralph Fernandez, a Tampa lawyer who has defended ex-political prisoners and frequently speaks out against Castro, thinks Tampa is in for a big surprise when news breaks of Castro's death.

"Any time there's a transition in any totalitarian state, there is a potential for an explosive scenario," Fernandez said. He thinks Cuban officials will allow citizens to leave, to alleviate pressure of rabble-rousers taking to the streets. "It's sad, but people would rather leave than fight."

National agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard said they can reposition their efforts to west Florida if a need arises.

"The reality is that if there is a migration, they would be part of the event," said Luis Gomez, deputy public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard, based in Miami. "We've had landings of migrants on the west coast near Naples and Fort Myers."

Locally, the Coast Guard's capabilities are not at full strength after structural defects docked eight Key West-based cutters, more than 15 percent of its fleet.

Fernandez said he believes some of Tampa's more affluent Cubans will sail to Cuba in their own boats to pick up relatives. Later, he predicts, others will want to reclaim Cuban land seized by the government.

"When there's confirmation that he's dead, you're going to see a lot of people in the streets," he said.

If that happens, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said, police would handle it just as they would any other protest or large event.

Cuban artist Carlos Manual Soto said he just hopes for political change.

Soto was exiled from Cuba for the political messages in his paintings and not allowed to return when his mother and brother died. He has his own plan for Castro's death.

"I'm going to celebrate."

Times staff writers Cristina Silva and Saundra Amrhein and researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@sptimes.com or 813 226-3354.

Cuban-Americans from Miami to Tampa have their own plans for Castro's death

"My parking lot will have a tent, and there will be rum and Cokes for every Cuban-American." - Ralph Fernandez, Tampa attorney

"If communism ever ends there, I will move my business to Havana. But those people are still in power. There is little time left for Fidel, but the others will stay on." - Alfredo Rey, Miami art gallery owner.

"I am too old, I don't have to go find anything there. My children and I are here." - Julia Garcia, who won't leave Miami

"I am telling you, we are going to have the biggest party Miami has ever seen. It will be bigger than Carnival, it will be bigger than the World Cup." - Juan Carlos Rojas, as he waited for his Cuban coffee at Versailles Restaurant in Miami

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 00:57:33]