BHT_OCTOBER_v11_friday_Beverly Hills Times Mag.

10/8/10 1:46 PM Page 24

PROFILE // POLITICAL ACTIVIST

VICTORINO NOVAL:
Human Rights
For All People
One Man’s
BY SUZANNE TAKOWSKY

W
e live in a world bathed in cultural >> Cuba’s recent massive oil finds (20 billion barrels)

Passion and diversity, and can forget that our

neighbors —many from other coun
tries who although have acclimated
themselves to our western way of
could easily equal US oil reserves. The U.S can either jump
on this bonanza—or watch in frustration as other major
countries lock up oil drilling and services contracts that are
expected to total over $1.5 Trillion ($75 a barrel at today’s

Fight To life—have a history of their own.

While governments fight governments, it’s the people who
suffer. One man, Victorino Noval, a Beverly Hills resident
is passionate not to let this happen. With the passing of his
prices) and all are located just off our own shores!
Additionally, American offshore equipment and crews are
experienced in both drilling and spill cleaning, and it is
in U.S. interest for American technology and labor to be

Reunite the father Victorino Noval Sr., earlier this year, he is in memory
of his father bringing awareness to the plight of Cuban peo
ple desperate to reunite with America—and Americans
used, rather than crews shipped in from around the
world because the U.S. can’t participate.
>> More than 200,000 U.S. jobs can come from lifting the
wanting to reconnect with Cuba, but who are prohibited embargo on Cuba. This is substantial especially, in the

United States from going there. Where his late father ended his quest,
Noval has taken over by lobbying Washington to end the
Cuban embargo. The Victorino Noval Foundation hired Alex
wake of the slow U.S. economy.
>> Cuba has more than 38,000 healthcare professionals
as goodwill ambassadors in approximately 88 nations. The
Lightman to write what has emerged as a detailed 340 page U.S. can participate in these valuable relationships if Cuba

and Cuba revelation entitled, We Need Cuba; 78 Reasons To End The

US Embargo of Cuba. This powerful and straightforward
book is headed straight to Congress, the Senate and the
United Nations. Some astonishing keypoints are:
is their partner, rather than seen as their adversary.
Lightman states in the book, “There is no end to the num
ber of people who have been or are paid by the U.S. gov
ernment to write articles and LetterstotheEditor that

While
governments
fight
governments
it is the
people who
really suffer.
Gobierno Interno de Liberacion Anticomunista GILA
(the Internal Government of Anti-Communist Liberation)

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say... ‘stay the course on Cuba’. Let's recap what
‘course’ we are talking about and begin with the fact
that the Cuban embargo violates the first, fifth, and
fourteenth amendments of the United States
Constitution.” The volumes of research that Lightman
has amassed is endless. As the first to write such an
extensive book on why it is in U.S. interests to end its
embargo on Cuba, he has made countless calls to
political leaders, members of Congress, corporate
entities and citizens from both the United States and
Cuba to document his findings.
The goal: Noval says they are lobbying to end an
embargo that has taken away the freedom of the
American people to go to Cuba, and taken away the
dreams of the Cuban people to establish much needed
relations with America. By lobbying Washington and
through the book, the push is for equal rights, eco
nomic trade, medical options and natural resource
opportunities that will enhance the lives of Cubans
and Americans, and contribute greatly to the over
whelming economic needs of both countries.
VICTORINO NOVAL SR.
His Fight For Human Rights and His Place in CIA
and Anti-Communist History
I interviewed Victorino Noval at his beautiful home
in Beverly Hills. Joining us was Lightman. Noval spoke
with great emotion and passion about the tremen
dous hardships, struggle and bravery of his father.
The importance of what he had to say can never be
forgotten as the path that Victorino Noval Sr. followed
will forever be etched in Cuban
and American histo
ry. Noval Sr.
was born
and
raised in Spain. He was just barely
18yearsold, when the country he
loved was ravaged with destruction
brought on by the Spanish Civil
War. In desperation he fled to Cuba,
as did thousands of Spaniards hop
ing to leave behind the poverty
that plagued their homeland. That
is why today millions of Spaniards
now live there. Noval Sr. had an
uncle already living in Cuba who
owned several supermarkets and
funeral homes, and he started
working with him as soon as he
arrived. But as time passed it
became very clear to everyone that
Communism would prevail. Hoping
to save their assets and keep all the
businesses they had worked so
hard to get—from going under the
thumb of Nationalism, the Noval (the Internal Government of Anti-Communist Liberation)
family became strong advocates
against Communism. Enters the CIA, and soon the life
of Victorino Noval Sr., his destiny, and the future of
his family would change forever. The CIA went court
ing Spaniards and Cubans who were against
Communism. They hoped to gather an inside group of
operatives to stop the Communist regime from taking
over Cuba. Funded by the CIA, the group was known
as Gobierno Interno de Liberacion Anticomunista
GILA (the Internal Government of AntiCommunist
Liberation), and was formed in 1960. Noval Sr., and
others joined GILA to help. Members were consid
ered armed and dangerous, and were recruited to
penetrate communist ties in Cuba and eliminate
communist influence.
Noval Sr. and others went undercover
to keep communism at bay, including
smuggling weapons into Cuba to use
in the anticommunist effort. With
time it became apparent that
not all the GILA members
were anticommunists.
Reality surfaced that pro
Castro supporters had infil
trated the group, and GILA
members feared for their
lives, and that of their
families. Certain that
their identities would be
discovered, they felt it
was only time before they
were arrested and killed
for their anticommunist
efforts.
According to Noval—
straight from his father’s
mouth to his ears—one day a
GILA group that included Noval
Sr., was driving through the
streets of Havana. It was apparent
they were being followed. So in true
PROFILE // POLITICAL ACTIVIST
Gobierno Interno de Liberacion Anticomunista GILA
Hollywood movie action form they began to speed
through the streets and a highspeed chase ensued.
The driver headed to the Uruguay embassy and with
in moments rammed the truck through the embassy
gates to reach protection, knowing the CIA would pick
them up. Shortly after, the CIA supplied GILA mem
bers with passport IDs and the men were sent to
Merida, Mexico, then on to Miami for political asylum.
Unfortunately, when Noval Sr. left Cuba, it was not a
happy occasion. He had to escape without prior notice
and was forced to leave his wife and children behind.
He would not see them again until 1966 when a pro
gram from the CIA offered GILA family members the
opportunity to leave Cuba and live in the United
States. Noval Sr., and his wife Lourdes, daughter Tania
and son who bares his name Victorino —reunited in
Los Angeles, California where Noval Sr. was living. He
had moved from Miami to L.A. believing that he
would have a better chance at finding work. With his
family safely by his side, Victorino Noval Sr. began his
quest to become successful and provide those he
loved with everything his hard work and determina
tion could offer. Reflecting back to those days, Noval
says the first job his father had in L.A. was working as
a janitor at the Hilton Hotel, in Downtown. From
there he started his own company and subcontracted
out work from another company to install doors
throughout the Sierra Towers building on Doheny
Drive, just above the Sunset Strip. After seeing that
construction was a way for him to make money,
Noval Sr.’s interest in real estate grew and he found
his passion in construction. He went on to become a
multimillionaire building shopping centers and other
commercial properties. When Victorino Noval Sr. died
this year, in his late seventies he had accomplished all
of his dreams except one: in his later years he had
been on a quest and was lobbying every means possi
ble to bring an end to the embargo with Cuba. He
wanted to reunite the two countries he loved. His
dying wish was that through the Foundation—the
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PROFILE // POLITICAL ACTIVIST

Oil and gas, medical, travel,

gen-tech and other
opportunities in Cuba are
about to explode—as many
of its internal and external
controls on travel and trade
Victorino Sr. with his
are finally starting to unravel.
<

grandson Peter

Victorino Sr. peace and prosperity for both countries that he wanted so badly—would contin

<
with his son ue. That wish is now set to unfold through his son’s unwavering efforts.
Victorino and
daughter Tania “The embargo has led to 18 straight years of embarrassing defeat in the United
Nations. The last vote the U.S. had—187 nations agreed with Cuba that the U.S.
was violating international law and UN charter,” states Lightman. “Only two
nations disagreed, the puny colony Palua, with a population of 20,000 (less than
in Beverly Hills) and Israel, which ironically trades with Cuba. The embargo vio
lates U.S. law—which is international law, as well as it violates the UN Charter,
Geneva Convention, the WTO, World Bank and pretty much every treaty that
includes mutual respect for sovereignty and noninterference. Not only that, but
the embargo seeks to apply U.S. law to foreign companies now headquartered in
< Victorino Sr. foreign countries. This has led to U.S. allies (and nonallies) passing laws specifi
(far right) with his
wife Lourdes (far
cally forbidding compliance with U.S. laws as relating to Cuba. The sad reality is
left) and son that the embargo is now costing Americans over 200,000 jobs, at a time when the
Victorino (center) federal government gave Los Angeles County alone $111 million. Only 55 jobs
were saved or created, which translates into the government spending about
$2 million per job.”
Victorino Sr. with his son
Victorino and wife
Lourdes
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
The Cuban Embargo Takes Flight And Why It Continues
Almost 50 Years Later
Other than Canada and Mexico, Cuba represents the United States’ closest foreign
neighbor located 90 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida. The population of Cuba
sits at around 11 million people. A 1899 treaty made Cuba an independent republic
under U.S. protection, and the 1901 Platt Amendment allowed the U.S. government
to intervene in Cuba’s affairs, which Cuba terminated in 1934. A group of army
officers headed by army sergeant Fulgencio Batista overthrew President Gerardo
Machado, and Batista took over as Cuba’s president in 1940. In 1956, Fidel Castro
launched his revolution; the U.S. followed by ending its military aid, but by 1959
Victorino Sr.
<

with his Castro had taken control with a Sovietstyle communist rule. The U.S. ended all
daughter Tania relations with Cuba during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when Russia attempted to
install medium range missiles on the island. The short lived event brought then
President John. F. Kennedy face to face with Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev in a
standoff that ended when the missiles were dismantled. But the embargo did not
end even though in 1977, the U.S. reestablished limited diplomatic ties with Cuba.
In 1990, Russia stopped aid to Cuba as Communism collapsed in eastern Europe.
The Cuban economy took a beating and its people suffered greatly, but the embargo
continued. And in 1996, instead of loosening restraints, the U.S. tightened limits
with the HelmsBurton Act, followed by another embargo act by President Bush, in
2004 that restricted visits to Cuba, allowing American relatives to return only once
< Victorino Sr.
at home every three years, instead of every year as they had previously been allowed to do.
with friends Tighter economic restraints also followed on the amount of U.S. cash that could be
spent in Cuba—only $50 a day was allowed. Cuba quickly banned U.S. dollars that

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until then had been legal currency for more than a
decade. In 2006, Castro turned temporary leadership
over to his brother Raúl after revealing that he had
cancer. Then in 2008, Fidel Castro officially ended his
49year reign of power.
Now with Raúl Castro heading the country some
new economic, social and cultural rights have been
installed: fair wages, social security, education and
civil freedom for the people of Cuba. In 2009, the U.S.
Congress voted to repeal its restrictions for all Cuban
Americans who want to visit Cuba. And changes were
also made to the amount of U.S. dollars that could be
sent into the country. Although President Obama has
shown a willingness to reestablish ties with Cuba, so
far not much has been accomplished.
With Raúl Castro firmly in power, some interesting
events have begun to unfold that might prove his
commitment to making positive changes to improve
Cuban relations with the United States. This year Raúl
announced that he would release the 52 political pris
oners—most all of them are political activists and
journalists who have been held in Cuban prisons
since 2003. To date, not all have been released.
Does it look like the U.S. embargo will end? For
Victorino Noval Sr., and his son—they are leaving
nothing to chance. They want to end what most
Cubans and many Americans see as an endeavor that
is hurting not helping either country socially, or eco
nomically. As the Victorino Noval Foundation’s book
gets released, the documents and research will high
light points Noval says cannot be disputed—as they
are backed by public record, government information
and resources available for all to read.
“There are numerous areas that could be helped
immediately if the embargo was lifted,” stated
“There is no end to
the number of people
who have been paid
and are paid by the
U.S. government to
write creepy articles
and Letters-to-the-
Editor to—stay the
course on Cuba.”
says Lightman.
“What Course?”
Lightman. “Right now Cuba sells its unique medicines
to more than 60 countries for almost nothing—most
are given away and still it receives more than $400
million from the sales. Cuba has approximately 40
drugs that do not exist in other countries. Tens of
thousands of Americans die each year from diseases
and illnesses that may well be cured or at least helped
by Cuban medical research and the drugs they manu
facture. So far, the FDA has approved only one drug
from Cuba for study, and that took 10 years to gain
approval. What does that imply? That the FDA
expects the embargo to continue another 10 years?
Billions of barrels of oil exist between Florida and
Cuba—much closer than many U.S. owned wells in
the Gulf of Mexico—close enough to pipe into the
U.S.—but they are offlimits to U.S. companies to
explore and drill. Does this make any sense when
we have men and women risking their lives for oil
12,000 miles away? Cuba has plenty of oil to trade
for currency. It is up to the U.S. to lift a useless embar
go and get started doing business with a country
that can provide what we need without us risking
American lives to get it. Right now, Cuba imports 80%
of its food. This could come from the U.S. if we didn't
have restrictions. Why isn’t our government looking
into every means to increase our economic options,
especially with our failing economy? Cuba's foreign
Victorino Novel with his sons: Hunter, Peter (Victor middle) Franco, Jake
PROFILE // POLITICAL ACTIVIST
debt is $18 billion. Just the value alone of government
owned medical drugs and real estate that is available
in 99 year leases are greater than their debt. The
value of Cuba's oil is around $75 a barrel or about
$1.5 trillion—83 times as much oil revenue as the
government’s entire debt.”
Researching facts for this article I contacted three
Congressman from California; Henry A. Waxman
(a Democrat from California’s 30th Congressional
District) he represents Santa Monica, Beverly Hills,
Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, West
lake Village, West Hollywood and BeverlyFairfax,
Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Beverlywood, Agoura,
Topanga, West Hills, Chatsworth, Canoga Park and
Westwood. I explained the article I was writing and
requested a few minutes of Congressman Waxman’s
time to answer questions raised by Lightman. But
neither Waxman nor anyone from his office returned
my call. Next on my list was Congressman Brad Sherman
(Democrat from California’s 27th District) represent
ing the San Fernando Valley. Again I explained what
I was writing, and asked for a few minutes of the
Congressman’s time. I received a reply from his
office via email although I did not get to speak directly
with Mr. Sherman. This was emailed to me:
continued to page 58
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PROFILE // VICTORINO NOVAL
continued from page 27
“I suspect that Americans would take advantage of
the opportunity to visit Cuba were the travel ban
lifted, but I am concerned that Cubans would not
bring their tourist dollars to the United States. Our
balance of payments worldwide is already a prob
lem, so we should be concerned about exacerbating
that situation.”— “Sherman has not made a decision
on how he will vote on the legislation.”
Although I requested to talk with the Congressman
to better understand his explanation sent to me via
email, my request was unfortunately not given.
My last call was to Congressman Howard Berman
(Democrat from California's 28th Congressional
District) he represents the northern San Fernando
Valley, communities of Pacoima, Arleta, Panorama
City, Sylmar, North Hollywood and the southern
border following Mulholland Drive, taking in Encino,
Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and the
Hollywood Hills at the east end of the Santa Monica
Mountains. Additionally, he serves as Vice Chair of
the Judiciary Committee and is also on the Foreign
Affairs and Judiciary Committees. At last I was able
to speak with a real live Congressman! Mr. Berman
spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with me and
our talk together couldn’t have been timed better
as the week following our interview (slated for
September 29th,) Members of The Committee On
Foreign Affairs were scheduled to meet and vote on
a bill to relax trade with and travel to Cuba. The
legislation, if passed would eliminate obstacles with
regard to food sales, something a majority of U.S.
farmers and human rights groups hopes will occur
to help overcome their economic hurdles. The
measure supporting this legislature passed the
House Agriculture Committee in June, but needed
a thumbs up from the Foreign Affairs Committee to
send the bill to the House floor. Any “NOs” would
throw it right back for a new debate to a new
Congress on the way in this upcoming November.
Unfortunately, the day the Bill was to be presented
(September 29th) it was postponed for future
debate in the House of Representatives. This is
what Berman had to say.
“I have been working on this effort for 24 years.
Americans have the right to travel wherever they
want, this is a fundamental right of citizenship in
this country. Little by little every other country in
the world that had travel restrictions on it—we have
eliminated those restrictions. Take a country like
Iran which is trying to get a nuclear weapon, sup
ports terrorism; we don’t stop Americans from trav
eling there. During the Cold War, at the height of
tension with the Soviet Union there were never con
ditions on Americans traveling there. Take a country
like Sudan which is engaged in genocide, we have
sanctions against them, but we do not stop
Americans from traveling there. Cuba is the only
country where these restrictions remain, and we
have to get rid of them. But there is definitely more
support right now. First of all, we’ve had this travel
ban in place for more than 45 years. It had one pur
58 // bhtmag.com // october 2010
Victorino Noval: continuing his father’s
fight to help reunite the United States
and Cuba for the good of both coun-
tries and the people living in them.
pose: to try and bring down the Castros. If ever
there was a foreign policy that has not worked—
this is the one. Another thing we have to be aware
of is that Americans themselves become ambassa
dors for the freedom and liberty we have here in
America. When Americans travel to others countries
they talk about our country and share with people
all over the world the concept that there is another
way. The United States is about promoting freedom
and liberty—not about restricting its citizens by put
ting in place a travel ban. With travel to other coun
tries we can develop better understandings between
nations, knock down social barriers, initiate busi
ness and environmental improvements, and ban
together against drug trafficking; all needed, but
again—all secondary to the main objective against
the embargo which is that it restricts Americans the
right to travel where they want.”
Noval who does visit Cuba regularly and has a
Cuban passport expressed his views on the Cuban
way of life.
“I’ve learned so much about Cuba, most never
told to me as I was growing up. Every Cuban I’ve
ever met loves American people. I have cousins in
medical school and friends in the Navy there—
they all love America and believe it is a great place
to live. None understand why the embargo exists.
There is a 97% literacy rate in Cuba; a fact I’m sure
surprises most Americans not familiar with Cuban
people. They are well read, and aware that most
Americans do not want the embargo to continue.
They know there are people in our government lob
bying in Washington to end it. Many misconceptions
about Cuba exist, one being about drugs. There are
no drugs there—except that outsiders bring in. And
amazingly, there are U.S. citizens in Cuba attending
medical school because they could not afford to go
here in the United States. They are welcome and not
required to pay any tuition to attend. The only stipu
lation is that when they finish medical school they
spend two years volunteering to care for poor peo
ple. Imagine, not being required to pay for medical
school! Most mornings I eat breakfast in Beverly
Hills, at Nate ‘n Al’s Deli. I am always approached
at least two or three times before I even get to the
front door by people begging on the street wanting
money. As many times as I’ve been to Cuba not
once has anyone ever asked me for a dollar.”
According to Lightman the embargo is all about
making money, and that is why it continues.
“Millions of our taxpayers money goes into anti
Castro organizations. Money is given to politicians
in the form of contributions that end up buying
votes to continue the embargo. This is not the voice
of the American people. Look at the countries that
vote to continue the embargo; one being Israel,”
states Lightman. “Most people are not aware that
even though Israel votes in the UN to continue the
U.S. embargo with Cuba—outside of the UN Israel
does millions of dollars worth of business with Cuba.
The jobs we are losing, especially in this economy
could be filled easily if we stopped this nowin situa
tion. When Communism hit Cuba people with money
left, it was the poor people who had to stay. Many
wealthy Cubans living in Florida are making millions
off this embargo and push for the ban to stay. But
the longer the embargo continues, the fewer sup
porters it has, and the more flawed the reasons
become. It’s not simply that the embargo is a failure;
it’s that the whole objective is so vague. No one is
clear what the U.S. is trying to accomplish. Almost
50 years have passed with nothing to show for the
effort. If the original reason was Fidel Castro—well
he retired as head of state years ago and is now 84
years old. The United States trades hundreds of bil
lions of dollars with Communist China—we’ve bor
rowed almost one trillion dollars from them. Why
then focus on Cuba—a country that the U.S. should
consider one of it allies, trade products and medi
cine with, purchase oil from and start to build a
credible relationship with?” 
Visit: www.VictorinoNovalFoundation.com for
information or to offer feedback on its contents.