Coming off the great success of the 20th unlicensed Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba, we want to thank all of you for your support…

We want also to notify all of our network that…before my return to the office, the FBI had visited the IFCO/Pastors for Peace office…[Also] that  Ignacio Meneses of the US/Cuba Labor Exchange, who travelled to Cuba along with the Venceremos Brigade, recently received a visit by the FBI at his home. Because now two persons who travelled to Cuba in August have received visits from the  FBI, we thought it would be appropriate to share the information that we sent out to the Caravanistas on August 18th, 2009, with our whole network.

We want to inform you that the IFCO/Pastors for Peace office received a "visit" from two FBI agents only one day after the Mexico/US border crossing. On Aug 4th agents arrived saying that they were doing "community outreach" and stopped by our office to chat and talk with us. They directly asked if they could come in and talk with us. Of  course, we followed the same advice we give everybody who travels  with us. We said, "No, you cannot come in." We asked for their  address and promised to have our attorney write to them. Our staff  then immediately sat down, wrote a statement to describe in detail  exactly what had transpired, who said what- every detail. We did this  while the visit was fresh in our memories.  These statements/affidavits are in the  hands of our attorney.

During orientation and the "reentry meeting” all the Caravanistas were told  that the FBI might visit them, or their friends, family or co-workers. You are under no obligation to talk with the FBI or let them into your home or workplace. We advise you to get their contact information and let them know that your attorney will be in touch with them.
 
A copy of the booklet "When an Agent Knocks," published by the Center  for Constitutional Rights is attached. It is also important to let  IFCO know immediately if you have been visited by the FBI- and to  always make sure to get the cards and badge numbers of any officers  that may visit you. Most of all we must remember not to talk to the  FBI or let them into our homes. Also if any of you have ever received  a letter from OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control), don't answer the letter. Instead, immediately  make a copy of the letter and the front and back of the envelope and 
send it to IFCO. We will inform you on how to proceed from this point.

[The author is Director, IFCO/Pastors for Peace.]