Clinton Announces Sanctions for Cuban Shoot-down

WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Clinton today called Fidel Castro's regime "repressive and violent," and announced a list of sanctions designed to send a stern message to Havana. Clinton was responding to the downing of two Cessna aircraft by Cuban MiG jets last Saturday afternoon. Cuban leaders insist that the two planes, belonging to an anti-Castro organization "Brothers to the Rescue," were in Cuban airspace, and were warned to turn back. Clinton Monday unveiled a battery of punitive measures against Cuba. Included were proposals to compensate the families of the downed airmen with funds from frozen Cuban assets and to pass the Helms-Burton legislation enhancing the effectiveness of the economic embargo against Cuba. Clinton also restricted the travel of Cuban officials in America and limited visits by Cubans. In the works are possible U.N. sanctions against Cuba, and an intensification of broadcasts by the U.S.-sponsored anti-Castro Radio Marti. Despite all the fanfare, the measures "won't hurt Cuba much," says TIME's Cathy Booth. "The general attitude in Florida is that Clinton's measures are not nearly enough. He didn't even cut off the flow of money transfers from Cubans in America, which has been done in the past. Clinton is just placating the Republicans who call him soft on Castro."