Cuban Exile Group Leader Dies Mas Canosa Worked In U.S. To End Communism At Home

Jorge Mas Canosa, the top Cuban exile leader who built a powerful political network and monopolized U.S. policy toward Cuba, died Sunday. He was 58.

His son, Jorge Mas Jr., announced his father’s death in a news conference at which he was joined by more than 30 board members and officers of the anti-communist Cuban American National Foundation his father headed.

“Unfortunately he will never set foot in a free Cuba,” Mas Jr. said his lower lip quivering and his eyes welling with tears. “But his spirit and the legacy that he has left us will.”

Dr. Alberto Hernandez, Mas’ physician who will also be the foundation’s interim chairman, said the exile leader died of respiratory and cardiac failure caused by cancer. He also suffered from Paget’s disease, a hereditary bone affliction.

The death of Mas leaves the exile community looking for a new leader and ends a bitter, personal battle to oust Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Realizing his dream of a free Cuba became his life’s work after fleeing the island country in 1959 to avoid arrest for opposing Castro.

Mas, who many said wanted to be president of Cuba, rose to power utilizing hefty political contributions. He modeled his organization after the typical American political action committee and delivered thousands of Cuban exile votes to the Republican Party.

“Jorge has been a very important part of shaping U.S.-Cuba policy for a number of years, formulating and passing important legislation,” said U.S. Rep. Ileana RosLehtinen, R-Fla.

The legislative achievements include the 1996 Helms-Burton Act which made the U.S. embargo on Cuba law and provided for lawsuits against foreign companies doing business with properties illegally confiscated after the communist revolution.

Mas pushed for the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act, also known as the Torricelli Bill, which tightened the embargo on Cuba. The controversial Radio Marti and TV Marti, which is not seen on the island due to jamming, also are creations of Mas. He served as the chairman of the president’s advisory board for the U.S. Information Agency stations that beam uncensored news to Cuba.