Deep Dives Research Challenge- ZunZuneo - USAID Funded Social Network for Regime Change

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As I was consuming my usual digest of favourite alternative media sources recently, there was mention of an interesting covert program funded by the ‘humanitarian’ agency USAID, which was designed to undermine the Cuban Hip-Hop scene. This operation was crafted to influence hip-hop culture and foment unrest, intending to stir up a Cuban youth revolt.

This was another effort or campaign for regime change purposes, to oust the long standing Communist Party Rule of the Castro family. Regime change efforts also include many previous assassination attempts to remove Fidel Castro from his seat of power, with the most famous one being that of the exploding cigar.

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This sparked a memory of another covert program by the same agency, which was responsible for a controversial story that was widely dubbed as the ‘Cuban Twitter’ fiasco at the time. The official name of the so-called ‘Cuban Twitter’ social network service, was called ZuneZuneo, which is Cuban slang, for the sound a ‘hummingbird’ makes. This is what our ‘deep dive’ will concentrate on, for this edition of the Wikileaks research challenge.

A search for the term ‘ZunZuneo’ on Wikileaks, produced 6 results, as well as 4 resultsfor the exact phrase ‘Cuban Twitter’. Both of these search efforts refer to the same emails found within the ‘The Podesta Emails’ category. These emails are from a subscription service provided by Sarah Stephens, who is the founder and former Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA).

She is also the founder and Director of the Cuba Platform, that ‘attempts’ to find ways of ending the embargo between the Unites States and Cuba.

The Wikileaks archived emails contained a lot of interesting information, as well as many links to relevant sources. This allowed me to find multiple sources of information points, to dig deeper and get a wider picture on the entire situation at play.

Here are a few interesting snippets contained within these emails:

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Here is a link to Commotion Technologies, which outlines their expertise in information technology and data gathering. As they state on their own website, they aim to cause a commotion!

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Here you can find an explanation on the significance of the Helms-Burton act, and how it officially acknowledges the embargo against Cuba via foreign policy legislation drafted in 1996.

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As we can see here, there is a history and precedent to these types of operations and attempts at undermining the Cuban Regime, via ‘assistance’ projects within the framework of humanitarian aid. Alan Gross was a contractor for USAID, who entered Cuba with satellite and computer equipment, and attempted to set-up a clandestine internet service. More information on the Alan Gross scenario can be found here.

In 2014, The Associated Press broke the ZunZuneo story, after gaining access to USAID documents in relation to the ‘mission’. Funding was provided to contractors Creative Associates International (CAI) and Mobile Accord (now operating under the name of GeoPoll) via USAID, to carry out this secretive and dubious project, which was denied to be covert and instead described as ‘discreet’ by US government officials.

Here is a news clip from the Associated Press, based on its original investigative report.

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In this NBC News report on ZunZuneo, Hillary Clinton is also highlighted in a 2011 speech where she advocates for more ‘Arab Spring’ style citizen uprisings against their oppressive governments. She bases this position on promoting a free internet and flow of information. That statement can definitely be interpreted in different ways, that’s for sure.

Jay Carney, Press Secretary in the Obama Administration at the time, with his explanation and response to criticism over the controversy.

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Creative Associates International (CAI)and Mobile Accord, both have a history of being awarded contracts for U.S. government democracy initiatives in Third World countries, so this is by no means anything knew and there is a consistent pattern to these type of projects. The ZunZuneo project was conceived in 2009 within Costa Rica by use of its Embassy and assets, without knowledge of its existence by the wider Costa Rican government. As the story broke into the news headlines, the existence of covert program was widely condemned and drew scathing criticism from Costa Rica, after it was made aware of the project via the AP news story.

RT International reporting on the reaction of the Costa Rican government to the unknown project.

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Here is a description from Wikipedia, on the origins and purposes of ZunZuneo:

         

ZunZuneo was an online United States state owned company social networking and microblogging service marketed to Cuban users. The service was created in 2010 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The U.S. government covertly developed the service as a long-term strategy to encourage Cuban youths to revolt against the nation's government, fomenting a "Cuban Spring"—a reference to the Arab Spring revolutions. The initiative also appears to have had a surveillance dimension, allowing "a vast database about Cuban ZunZuneo subscribers, including gender, age, 'receptiveness' and 'political tendencies'" to be built.

         

Contractors funded by USAID "set up a byzantine system of front companies using a Cayman Islands bank account, and recruited unsuspecting executives who would not be told of the company's ties to the U.S. government," according to an Associated Press (AP) report which traced the origin of the service. ZunZuneo, dubbed the "Cuban Twitter", reached at least 40,000 Cuban subscribers but was retired in 2012 without notice. According to AP the service was ended because of the expiration of the grant that funded the program. While initially the service attracted subscribers by having discussions on topics such as sports, the plans were to introduce political messages to encourage dissent.

         

The AP released an exposé on ZunZuneo in April 2014. Following the report, the U.S. government acknowledged that it funded the service but denied that it was a covert program. According to a USAID spokesperson, the program was reviewed by the Government Accountability Office in 2013, and found to have been executed in accordance with U.S. law. The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations requested documents about the program from USAID.

         

In 2014, the US Office of Cuba Broadcasting announced that it was creating a successor, Piramideo. The platform is designed to spread anti-communist and pro-United States propaganda.

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This PDF document from our old friends at cryptome.org, also provides a general overview of the operation and its purpose, with links to various media sources.

The original investigative report from the AP and any cited documents can no longer be found anywhere on the internet, and all original links from multiple news sources lead to dead ends. Also, since the story broke there have been many attempts at acquiring FOIA documents, including from Jeremy Bigwood of nacla.org, as well as Shaun Musgrave’s request, that can be viewed on muckrock.com. Up to this point in time, there have been deliberate delays and no responses to any requests for any documents relating to this matter. So the question remains, if this was not a covert operation, or secret in any way, then why have the original reports and documents been erased from public view?

Many of the official statements from US government officials and its contractors involved in this case, seem to contradict reality. In this report from Al Jazeera America, they link to a document named Commission For Assistance To A Free Cuba, reporting to the President and chaired by Condoleeza Rice and Carlos Gutierriez. Within this document there are preparations and plans set out to create a platform like ZunZuneo based on giving the Cuban people freedom and democracy.

The ZunZuneo project officially ended in 2012, due to the contract and funding ending. Interestingly enough, once this social network was dissolved, another one popped up instantly (Piramideo) to replace it as quoted earlier from Wikipedia, and in this article from Mint Press News. The software for Piramideo was created by Washington Software. It was awarded the contract by The Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which is a US state owned broadcasting network operating under the same mission and charter as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio and TV Martí, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa). All of these media outlets are well known propaganda pushing outfits, aimed at citizens in those target countries.

Is this really about freedom and democracy? Or are we looking at a scenario where freedom and democracy is a convenient cover for pushing an endless flow of propaganda, for geo-political purposes? Is this why the filters and censorship get in the way of regime change foreign policy? Is this just a nicely packaged and media friendly argument, only designed out of pure self-interest? Depending on one’s own political leanings or philosophies, you could argue either way on those points.

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As always, have a great day and PEACE