FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: K.B. Forbes 202-320-1212

Thursday, May 12, 2005 Audrey Mullen 703-548-1160

HISPANIC GROUP ASKS U.S. TO INVESTIGATE SANTERIA TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OF

FIDEL CASTRO FRONT GROUPS

U.S. Santeria Based Groups With Ties To Havana Entity Profit Under the Guise of “Religious” Travel

MIAMI, FL—In conversations with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of Treasury, K.B. Forbes, the Executive Director of the Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a national non-profit advocacy group that educates and assists Hispanics, called on the office to investigate Sacerdocio Lucumi Shango Eyeife (a Miami for-profit corporation) with ties to the Yoruba Cultural Association (Asociación Cultural Yoruba de Cuba)—an organization based in Havana, Cuba that appears to collect hard-currency and useful intelligence for the dictatorship of Fidel Castro while fraudulently masquerade itself as a “cultural” group and recruits members in the U.S.

Forbes said, “All travel privileges to Cuba under the auspices of Sacerdocio Lucumi Shango Eyeife and known Yoruba Cultural Association’s members in the United States should be thoroughly investigated.”

Forbes informed (OFAC) of U.S. based groups that appear to have close ties to the Yoruba Cultural Association. “These groups, and not Churches, appear to dish-out credentials to anyone who claims to be clergy or a Santeria member, even letting so-called adherents apply online at their website,” Forbes noted.

Since new, stricter travel guidelines to Cuba were established last year, some “religious” organizations have been letting pleasure seekers travel to Cuba by offering them “membership” or “clergy status” in exchange for a “donation.” Some of these so-called “religious groups” have agreements and close ties with the Cuban dictatorship.

In recent weeks, the Office of Foreign Assets Control has been cracking down on religious organizations that abuse the travel privileges to Cuba. “We applaud OFAC’s hard work to stop these bogus religious groups that are nothing more than shady travel agencies,” Forbes added.

The U.S. Department of Treasury Press Office may be reached at (202) 622-2960.

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