WASHINGTON -- A sweeping new study of Cuban American influence over U.S. policy toward Cuba has cast light on the Washington-based foundation that provided the researchers with a $25,000 grant.
According to the Center for Public Integrity, which released its study Thursday, the Arca foundation has spent $1 million since the late 1980s ``to promote a dialogue with the Cuban government.'' That makes Arca the single largest donor, by far, to groups opposed to the hard-line U.S. policy.
Among those receiving Arca grants are many of the disparate groups that criticize the U.S. trade ban against Cuba and attempt to countervail the stance of the Cuban American National Foundation.
Grant recipients include: Johns Hopkins University, which completed a study on commerce with a post-embargo Cuba; the National Council of U.S.-Cuba Relations, led by embargo critic Arlene Alligood; the Cuban Committee for Democracy, a moderate exile group that received $400,000; and Minneapolis-based Pastors for Peace, which regularly challenges the embargo.
Within the last year, Arca has given $75,000 to the Cuban American Committee, led by Alicia Torres; provided $20,000 to the Center for International Policy, where Wayne Smith -- a former U.S. diplomat and frequent CANF critic -- is a senior fellow; and granted $25,000 to the Southwest Voter Research Institute, which sponsored a trip to Cuba last month by prominent Hispanic lawmakers, public documents show.
Established in 1952 by tobacco heiress Nancy Susan Reynolds, the foundation issued $2 million in grants in 1995. Its president, Smith Bagley, has donated a total of $304,077 to U.S. political candidates and parties.
Neither Bagley nor Janet Shenk, Arca executive director, responded to interview requests.
Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald