Cuba churches condemn U.S. gov't for threatening to remove tax-exempt status of Christian charity
The Cuban Council of Churches criticized the U.S. government for its plans to revoke the tax-exempt status and non-profit status of Pastors for Peace.
Last month, the parent organization of the group, Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), received a notification from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that its tax-exempt status is at risk because it failed to obtain permission from the U.S. Treasury Department to send aid to Cuba.
Joel Ortega Dopico, President of the Cuban Council of Churches, expressed his disappointment with the Obama administration during a press conference in Havana.
"I do not understand how at this moment, when the Obama administration's policy is to seek understanding, that on the other hand they are taking these types of measures against institutions that have created an understanding between our peoples," Dopico said.
The Obama administration started normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba in December 2014. Since then, Americans were given easier and cheaper means to visit the communist country.
Pastors for Peace has been sending donations to Cuba since 1992 without permission from the U.S. government as a sign of protest against the U.S. trade embargo.
Over the years, the U.S. border authorities have reportedly detained aid workers but there has never been any legal action against Pastors for Peace. The IRS revealed that the group has been under investigation since 2009.
In 2011, IFCO was accused of sending aid to the alleged terrorist group Hamas through its support of the charity Viva Palestina. IFCO was also charged with the violation of the U.S. Trading with the Enemy Act. Both charges were eventually dropped. Right now, the group is dealing with a charge of flawed record-keeping.
On Sept. 1, IFCO announced that its appeal against the latest charge had failed. Gail Walker, the executive director of IFCO, suspects that the U.S. government may require the organization to put taxes on donations. Walker did not expect the attacks from IRS because of Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba.
Walker thought that "the President would respect the work of IFCO/Pastors for Peace."
"For a quarter of a century we've organized friendship caravans as an expression of love and solidarity with the [Cuban] people and in opposition to the blockade," she said to People's World.
IFCO has launched an online petition to stop the IRS from revoking its tax-exempt status. The petition has been signed by over 2,000 supporters.
