Costa Rica is demanding US explain ‘Cuban Twitter'

[Judi Lynn]

Costa Rica is demanding US explain ‘Cuban Twitter'
By ALBERTO ARCE, JACK GILLUM and JAVIER CORDOBA
Associated Press April 24, 2014 Updated 43 minutes ago


SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — The Costa Rican government says it’s waiting for the Obama administration to explain why it improperly devised a secret “Cuban Twitter” network from inside the Central American nation’s borders despite warnings in 2009 that the plan could jeopardize the two countries’ diplomatic relations.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo said it was “inappropriate” to use his country for developing the primitive social media network, known as ZunZuneo, which aimed to stir political unrest in Cuba. The network was created under the U.S. Agency for International Development, but its users were unaware it was backed by the U.S. government.

“I think it’s inappropriate to use an embassy in Costa Rica for this type of operation that harms a third country,” Castillo said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We’re not filing a complaint. The point is that embassies accredited in Costa Rica don’t have to submit their plans or programs for the Costa Rican government’s approval.”

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki acknowledged Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy in San Jose received a diplomatic note from Costa Rica requesting an explanation after the AP first reported on the program in early April. “In the following days, embassy staffers have reached out to their MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) counterparts on multiple occasions about the issue and those conversations have been ongoing,” she said.

More:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/04/24/3605742/costa-rica-is-demanding-us-explain.html#storylink=cpy

[Demeter]

1. does one need to explain arrogance?

or evil-doing?

They are pretty self-explanatory.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Costa Rica condemns alleged anti-Cuba US campaign

Costa Rica condemns alleged anti-Cuba US campaign

24 April 2014 21:19 (Last updated 24 April 2014 21:23)

Costa Rica condemned an alleged US campaign against Cuba communist regime being conducted from San Jose

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica

Costa Rica condemned an alleged social media campaign based in the U.S. Embassy at San Jose, aimed at undermining the Cuban communist regime. The condemnation was made on concerns that this would damage diplomatic relations between Cuba and Costa Rica, according to a statement from Costa Rican foreign minister.

The ZunZuneo network which targets young Cubans as a free social media platform for music, football etc. has drawn tens of thousands of subscribers who remained unaware that the network was founded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In an interview with Associated Press (AP), Castillo said that the government waits for an urgent explanation from the U.S. upon the issue.

Several documents seized by the AP showed that United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is financing a social media program dubbed "Cuban Twitter" ZunZuneo, aimed at undermining the communist regime in Cuba and provoking a political crisis in the country. To start up the 2009-dated program, the U.S. has seized more than 400 thousand phone numbers in Cuba and hired contracted employees for realizing its anti-Cuban targets, the AP report said.

More:
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/317902--costa-rica-condemns-alleged-anti-cuba-us-campaign