| Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the | | | | along the Florida Straits, Rice said a mass |
| United States is ready to assist Cuba in a | | | | exodus of Cubans, in her words, "is not to be |
| transition to democracy, but is not | | | | expected, nor would it be condoned." |
| attempting to foment unrest on the island | | | | |
| while President Fidel Castro is ill. | | | | In the last week, many Cuban exiles in the |
| | | | United States have expressed excitement and |
| It has been nearly a week since President | | | | eagerness to return home in a post-Castro |
| Castro temporarily handed executive authority | | | | era. Asked whether the United States would |
| to his brother, Raul, before undergoing | | | | allow a reverse-exodus of exiles back to |
| surgery for what government sources described | | | | Cuba, the secretary of state had this to say. |
| as gastrointestinal bleeding. Since then, | | | | "Our role will be to help the Cuban people, |
| Cuban officials have accused the Bush | | | | when the time comes, to have a peaceful and |
| administration of attempting to destabilize | | | | stable democratic transition," she said. |
| the country by repeatedly broaching the | | | | |
| subject of political change on the island. | | | | Fidel Castro, who turns 80 next week, has |
| | | | ruled Cuba since leading the island's 1959 |
| Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press" program, | | | | Communist revolution. Details of his health |
| Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed | | | | are sketchy at best. Cuban officials say the |
| the allegation, but reiterated U.S. support | | | | president is recovering well after surgery, |
| for democracy in Cuba. "We are not going to | | | | and is able to sit up in bed. But a Brazilian |
| do anything to stoke a sense of crisis, or a | | | | newspaper reports Cuban authorities told |
| sense of instability in Cuba. This is a | | | | their Brazilian counterparts that Mr. |
| transitional period for the Cuban people. We | | | | Castro's gastrointestinal bleeding was caused |
| are going to stand with them for the | | | | by stomach cancer, a life-threatening |
| proposition that there should not be the end | | | | disease. Cuban officials deny the report. |
| of one dictatorship and the imposition of | | | | |
| another dictatorship," she said. | | | | Those who have wished the Cuban leader a |
| | | | speedy recovery range from U.N. Secretary |
| She said her message to the Cuban people is | | | | General Kofi Annan to former Cuban shipwreck |
| that they have an opportunity to build a | | | | survivor Elian Gonzalez, once the subject of |
| stable and more democratic nation. | | | | a custody battle between relatives in the |
| | | | United States and Cuba. |
| With heightened U.S. Coast Guard patrols | | | | |