Big ticket news stories

U.S. Charges Couple With Spying for Cuba

Today the U.S. Justice Department charged that a former State Department analyst and his wife (Walter K. Myers, age 72, and Gwendolyn S. Myers, 71) worked as spies for Cuba for nearly three decades, passing “secret diplomatic information” by way of a short-wave radio to Cuban handlers.

The interesting part of the story is that these two did not receive much from Havana in the way of compensation for their services (just the radio and some travel expenses), and they were not Cuban themselves, which would give them a direct personal connection to the island. They appear to have simply felt affection for the revolution after visiting the country, and resented U.S. policy toward Cuba as “American imperialism.”

Cuban Central Bank Chief Resigns

On Thursday Cuba announced the immediate resignation of its Central Bank Chief, Francisco Soberon Valdes, who held the position for 15 years. This is in the midst of the country’s attempt to grapple with the global financial crisis, restricted hard currency flows, and a drop in revenues from tourism and nickel.

To some observers, this is an extension of the cabinet “shake-up” earlier this year; Reuters reports that Ernesto Medina, who will replace Soberon, is expected to follow Raúl Castro’s policies, whereas Soberon was at odds with the new government’s top economic advisors.

One almost hopes that this is the case, rather than the resignation being an omen of a downward spiral in Cuba’s troubled financial situation.