Cuban American National Foundation

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About us Last Updated: Feb 20, 2007 - 10:48:56 AM

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About us : Board of Directors
CANF Board of Directors - Feb 19, 2007 - 10:11:59 AM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS 2007


Chairman

Jorge Mas Santos



Vice Chair

Clara M. del Valle

Juan A. Gutierrez



President

Francisco J. Hernandez



Vice President

Ana Maria Fernandez Haar

Carlos Manuel de Cespedes

Domingo Moreira

George Fowler

Jes?s Garcia

Miguel Angel Martinez

Remberto Perez



Secretary

Julio Pichs



Vice Secretary

DelfÃn Pernas



Treasurer

Alberto Mari“o



Vice Treasurer

Mario del Valle



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About us
About The CANF - Jan 21, 2007 - 6:02:15 PM

What is CANF?


The Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing freedom and democracy in Cuba. Established in Florida in 1981, CANF is the largest Cuban organization in exile, with thousands of members across the United States and other countries, representing a cross section of the Cuban exile community as well as friends of Cuban freedom from around the world.

CANF has offices in Miami, Washington D.C., and New Jersey and chapters in Los Angeles, the greater New York area, Chicago, several cities in Florida, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, and Texas.

What does CANF Advocate?

CANF supports a non-violent transition to a pluralistic, market-based democracy in Cuba - one fostering economic prosperity with social justice - grounded in the rule of law, and constitutionally guaranteed protection for fundamental human rights as well as the social, political, and economic rights of the Cuban people.

CANF seeks to engage, support, and empower the Cuban people in ways that do not aid or legitimize the Castro regime. To that end, we advocate measures in direct support of Cuban civil society that fulfill the Cuban people's historic political aspirations and legitimate humanitarian needs, while maintaining international political and economic pressure and isolation of the Castro regime.

What drives our work?

In 1959, Fidel Castro - who led the armed wing of a broad-based opposition movement against the Batista dictatorship - seized power in Cuba on behalf of a popular effort premised on the restoration of Cuba's constitutional democracy. Instead of holding promised free elections, Castro and a small circle of collaborators proceeded to discard the progressive Cuban Constitution of 1940 , abolished all political parties, and destroyed the autonomous institutions of Cuban civil society.

Gone were the free press (including over 300 newspapers across the island) and freedom of expression, the autonomous universities and the academic freedom that thrived therein, many of the churches and all religious schooling (and the religious freedom that they fostered), and the vast web of voluntary civic and professional organizations that had abounded in Cuba since before independence. Gone too were the independent labor unions and the hard-won labor rights codified by the Constitution of 1940, all political parties and all forms of democratic politics.

In the process of snuffing out every last spark of independence that remained in Cuban society, the new regime systematically did away with the customary rights Cubans had enjoyed since the dawn of the Republic, carrying out a ruthless campaign to silence all dissent. Challengers within the revolutionary armed forces and the leadership of the opposition were subjected to mock trials and summarily executed, relegated to Castro's gulag, or forced into exile.

Forging an alliance with the then-Soviet Union, Castro declared a communist-totalitarian state and placed himself at the helm of a reign of terror that has caused more than 100,000 Cubans to lose their lives and separated a nation by forcing almost two million Cubans into exile.

CANF embodies the struggle of so many Cubans -and friends of freedom alike - who seek to end more than forty years of totalitarian rule that has silenced, impoverished and brutalized the Cuban people. CANF unites thousands who, willing to share the benefits and blessings of living in free societies, act on their sense of duty to help bring freedom and a dream of a better future to the people of Cuba.


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About us : Pres. Fransisco J. Hernandez
Dr. Francisco (Pepe) J. Hernandez, president of the CANF - Jan 21, 2007 - 6:42:16 PM



As President, Dr. Hernandez is responsible for the development and implementation of numerous programs that deal with issues such as human rights, refugee resettlement, the publishing of scholarly studies on Cuba today and the future reconstruction of a free Cuba. His activities include contact with the various branches of the U.S. government, foreign governments, the media, international organizations and voluntary agencies, universities and the Cuban exile community.



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About us : Chairman Jorge Mas Santos
Jorge Mas Santos - Chairman of the CANF - Jan 21, 2007 - 6:31:11 PM

"Make a difference. Have a purpose. Shine a light." Address by Jorge Mas Santos, Chairman of The Cuban American National Foundation, before the Inter-American Dialogue, Washington, D.C., February 7, 2001


Jorge Mas Santos
Jorge Mas Santos is Chairman of the Board of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF), a non-profit institution founded in 1981 dedicated to the promotion of a free and democratic Cuba. The CANF provides information on the political, economic, and social status of the Cuban people, both on the island and in exile

As chairman, Mr. Mas directs the CANFÌs general programs in support of freedom, democracy and human rights for Cuba and an end to Fidel CastroÌs dictatorship, and spearheads the institutionÌs policy of working with congress in support of a bipartisan consensus on a strong U.S.ÒCuba policy. Since its creation, the CANF has been successful in passing important legislative initiatives, which include Radio & TV MartÃ Û U.S. government broadcasts of uncensored news and information to the Cuban people Û the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, and the Cuban Liberty & Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.


Under Jorge MasÌs leadership, the CANF is poised to enter the 21st century as a solid and reputable institution that will continue to uphold the ideals of CANF founder Jorge Mas Canosa, while building on its impressive legacy with intelligent strategies that have become the organizationÌs hallmark.

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About us : Who started the CANF
¯Who founded the CANF? - Jan 21, 2007 - 6:11:33 PM



Jorge Mas Canosa served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) from the organization's founding in 1981 until his untimely death on November 23, 1997.As chairman, Mr. Mas Canosa directed the CANFÌs support of general programs - recognized and respected nationally and internationally - to promote freedom, democracy and human rights for Cuba and an end to Fidel CastroÌs dictatorship.

The CANF has also worked to enlighten public opinion on problems of Cuban concern, to fight bigotry, protect human rights, and promote Cuban cultural interests and creative.

As head of the CANF, Mr. Mas Canosa worked with Congress and three administrations in support of bi-partisan consensus on a firm U.S.-Cuba policy and passage of important legislative initiatives, including the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 and the Cuban Liberty & Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.



Mr. Mas Canosa was instrumental in the creation of Radio & TV Marti, U.S., government broadcasts of uncensored news and information to the Cuban people. Fashioned after Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, Radio & TV Marti have been highly successful in sending a message of hope to the Cuban people in their struggle for liberty. Mr. Mas Canosa was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as Chairman of the PresidentÌs Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting and also served Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton in that capacity. He also served as Chairman of the GovernorÌs Commission on a Free Cuba under Governors Bob Martinez (R) and Lawton Chiles (D) to study the economic, social and political impact of a free Cuba on the State of Florida.Parallel to his achievements in the public sector, Mr. Mas CanosaÌs entrepreneurial endeavors also met with great success. Mr. Mas Canosa was Chairman of the Board of Directors of MasTec, Inc., a public engineering contracting firm specializing in telecommunications infrastructure with over 7,000 employees throughout the United States and abroad, and with annual revenues of over $1 billion. He was one of the first Hispanics in the United States to chair the board of a public company.
When the undemocratic nature of the nascent Castro government became clear, Mr. Mas Canosa resumed his political activism on behalf of democracy and respect for human rights. He was subsequently persecuted by the regime for his opposition to CastroÌs communist dictatorship and was forced into exile before a warrant for his arrest was to be executed.


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