The Bush administration has unveiled a controversial new plan for intervening in Cuba’s political affairs. The Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba has produced a report calling on the US to spend millions of dollars supporting opponents of Fidel Castro.

• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: '’The commission's recommendations include concrete support for democratic change in Cuba. Under a new two-year, $80 million program, we are stepping up our efforts along multiple fronts. We are increasing our determination to break the regime’s information blockade, and we are offering support for the efforts of Cubans to prepare for the day when they will recover their sovereignty and can select a government of their choosing through free and fair multi-party elections.’’

The promised funding has been billed as “democracy promotion.” Critics say it will work to undermine Cuba’s government the same way the US democracy funding has destabilized democratically-elected regimes in other countries such as Haiti and Venezuela. Cuba’s government has likened the new program to a declaration of war.