The Cuba Corps’ Network of Trust has been conceived as a methodology for establishing links and to bridge the gap between the Cuban-American exile community and Cubans in the island both seeking a role in building a civil society through peaceful and democratic means.

 This two-way communication program is intended to help bring down the veil of mistrust and disinformation resulting from the relentless campaign by the Castro regime to divide the Cuban communities in the island and abroad, as well as to represent the United States and other democracies as the “enemy,” in order to further governmental control through tactics of fear and intimidation. A second objective of the Network of Trust is to identify trustworthy “contacts” on the island that would be in a position to help during the transition phase, as appropriate.

 There are at present 32 towns in this netwok. They are:

PINAR DEL RIO

Pinar del Rio  

San Juan y Martinez

 LA HABANA

Ciudad Habana

Municipio Boyeros

Centro Habana

San Miguel del Padrón

10 de Octubre

Vedado                       

Guanabacoa   

Santiago de las Vegas

 MATANZAS

Matanzas

Jagüey Grande

Pedro Betancourt         

San Miguel de los Baños                                

 VILLA CLARA

Placetas                      

Santa Clara

Sagua La Grande       

Ranchuelo

Quemado de Güines

 CIENFUEGOS

Cienfuegos

Cumanayagua

SANCTI SPIRITUS

Sancti Spiritus

Las Tozas

 CAMAGUEY

Santa Cruz del Sur

 HOLGUIN

Velasco

Holguin

Cacocún

Banes

Antilla

 GRANMA

Manzanillo

 SANTIAGO DE CUBA

Palma Soriano

Palmarito de Cauto

 The Cuba Corps works with independent Cuban NGOs as “strategic partners” to work together in an effort to enhance and expand their capabilities in democracy building.   They are all part of the Network of Trust.

 Humanitarian Information Matrix

 All the projects of The Cuba Corps are carried out throughout contacts in the same 32 towns, where the same people, NGOs, civic groups, religious groups, etc. receive books, vitamins and other medicines, and CDs. Telephone calls as a simple, warm greeting from the United States are made periodically to all NGO contacts in the key towns. This is the beginning of breaking the information wall imposed by the Cuban government, as well as bridging the information and communication gap between the US and Cuba of more than half-a-century. This “Network of Trust” is being built step by step by Cuba Corps volunteers.

 A limited humanitarian needs assessment is being made by The Cuba Corps, with the help of those in Cuba and some organizations in Miami. Triangulation of the information, with recent arrivals in Miami and information from Cuba is proceeding at a slow pace, having completed at the time of this writing the full spectrum of information [infrastructure, health, education, etc.] for a few of the towns in the network. The completed matrix is expected to be of logistical assistance to The Cuba Corps, other NGOs and democratic governments willing to help in providing pointed and immediate humanitarian aid after the dictatorship.

 Again, for the key towns, the following are some of the information points being filled:

 Information Points:

 Census/Population—age groups.

Schools—levels. Specialty schools. Universities.

Hospitals/Clinics/Medical installations. Doctors/ Nurses

Water/Aqueducts/ Sewers

Electrical facilities

Telecommunications

Industries

Housing

Roads and bridges

Tourism centers

Agricultural

Historical & Architectural monuments/buildings/sites.

Other (ports, roads, etc.)