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Updated August 2008
Biological Chronology
1965-1993
Except for general knowledge items, this annotated chronology is based on the data provided by the source identified for each entry. Public sources often provide conflicting information on classified military programs. In some cases we are unable to resolve these discrepancies, in others we have deliberately refrained from doing so to highlight the potential influence of false or misleading information as it appeared at the time. In many cases, we are unable to independently verify claims. Hence in reviewing this chronology, readers should take into account the credibility of the sources employed here.
Inclusion in this chronology does not necessarily indicate that a particular development is of direct or indirect proliferation significance. Thus, some entries provide international or domestic context for technological development and national policymaking, while others report on happenings that may have indirect effects on proliferation or nonproliferation.
1965
Cuba’s National Center for Scientific Research (CENIC) becomes operational. It is slated to become Cuba’s primary training institution for bioscientists.
1972
Cuba becomes a member of the Soviet led Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON).
1975
Cuban military forces are sent to Angola to fight UNITA rebel forces supported by South Africa.
21 April 1976
Cuba ratifies the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
2 December 1976
Fidel Castro becomes President of Cuba.
1977
A dengue fever epidemic infects approximately 4.5 million persons in Cuba. However, since the causative pathogen is DEN-1, the symptoms are mild and there are no known deaths.
— Maria G. Guzmán, et al., “Dengue hemorrhagic fever in Cuba, 1981: A retrospective seroepidemiologic study,” American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 42(2):179-184 (1990).
September 1977
Cuba and the United States reestablish low level diplomatic relations as so-called “interest sections” are opened respectively in Havana and New York.
1979
The National Center for Scientific Research forms the Genetic Engineering Group, a new division within the Center.
— Castro, "There will be weapons much more (II)," Granma International Online Edition, 14 May 2002, <http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html>.
1979-1980
Four disease outbreaks that occur during these years — African swine fever, dengue fever, tobacco blue mold disease, and sugar cane rust — are alleged by Cuban authorities as having been caused by the United States.
— Raymond A. Zilinskas. "Cuban allegations of biological warfare by the United States: Assessing the evidence," Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 1999, 25(3):173-227.
1980-1981
Cuba suffers a large dengue fever outbreak. Since this one is caused by DEN-2, its effects are much more severe than the 1977 outbreak; an estimated 344,023 Cubans become sick, out of which 158 die.
— Maria G. Guzmán, “Deciphering dengue: The Cuban experience,” Science 309:1495-1497 (2005).
21 May 1981
Manuel Limonta and his team of scientists produce Cuba's first synthetic interferon, marking Cuba's first significant achievement in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering.
[Note: Ken Alibek, former deputy director of the Soviet Biopreparat, writes that Castro visited the Soviet Union in 1981, and was given "a strain of E. coli containing the plasmid used to produce interferon...along with equipment and working procedures." This, according to Alibek's sources, allowed Cuba to begin advanced biotechnology research.]
— Edward Cody, "Cuban researchers test interferon; Havana institute has used drug to treat 2,000 victims of cancer, other diseases," Washington Post, 4 August 1985; Ken Alibek and Stephen Handelman, Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World (New York: Random House, 1999), pg. 273-277.
9 August 1981
While giving a speech to a local audience, Fidel Castro for the first of many times accuses the United States for having been responsible for the current dengue fever outbreak (but not for the 1977 outbreak).
— Fidel Castro, "We've been successful in our fight against epidemics: African swine fever, sugarcane smut, blue mold - we've eradicated all of them! Now we're engaged in the battle against hemorrhagic dengue, and we're going to eradicate it!" Granma Weekly Review, 9 August 1981, pp. 1-5.
1981
CENIC organizes a meeting of 12 directors of research institutes that decides to establish the Biological Front (Frente Biologico) as a policy-making body to guide the development of biotechnology in Cuba.
1981
The first of many Cuban scientists is sent to the Soviet Union to receive training in genetic engineering and other advanced molecular biology techniques.
1982
Cuba joins the effort headed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to establish the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) as the focal point for Third World aspirations in biotechnology.
January 1982
The Center for Biological Research (CIB) is established under Castro's Biological Front in order to concentrate on the production of interferon.
— Charles Cooper (ed.), Technology and Innovation in the International Economy (Maastricht, Holland: United Nations University Institute for New Technologies, 1994), <http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu31te/uu31te00.htm>.
February 1982
The United States adds Cuba to list of countries supporting international terrorism for its support of the M-19 movement in Colombia.
16 March 1985
Juan Armando Montes, a Cuban-American U.S. Army Officer, testifies to the U.S. House Committee on International Relations about Cuban military capabilities. He asserts that Cuba has been involved in both terrorism and revolutionary movements within the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Americas, while the Cuban Directorate of Intelligence has become one of the most sophisticated intelligence agencies in the world. The armed forces have received training in chemical, nuclear, and biological warfare, described by an army officer who defected from Cuba in 1980. He claims that Cuban teams were trained to infiltrate the United States to poison water supplies and infect rats and other animals with pathogens that cause anthrax, yellow fever, and cholera, among other diseases.
— "Prepared Statement of Juan Armando Montes, Colonel (retired), U.S. Army Special Forces and Foreign Area Officer (FAD), Latin America, President of the Cuban American Veterans Assn, Member of the Cuban Unity Broad Opposition Front, House Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere," Federal News Service, 16 March 1985.
July 1985
Fidel Castro announces that Cuban scientists are applying genetic engineering in order to develop vaccines against diseases such as dengue. He discusses the role of the future Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in "manufacturing medicine, increasing agricultural yields, and producing food" along with overall Cuban goals in the field of biochemistry and pharmaceuticals.
— Fidel Castro, "Ceremony: Bolivian health minister present," Havana Television Service, 3 July 1985, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
1986
Cuba imports high-grade microscopes and protein purification equipment from Japan.
— Gabriela Selser, "Cuba discovers biotechnology as a source of foreign exchange," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 15 June 1999.
May 1986
The Defense Intelligence Agency publishes an overview of the Cuban armed forces, stating that the Cubans have "limited capabilities" to deploy biological agents. The Navy has one unit trained in nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) defense, but there is no information on NBC offense or defense on individual ships.
— "Handbook on the Cuban Armed Forces," Defense Intelligence Agency, May 1986.
1 July 1986
The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) is inaugurated, becoming Cuba's largest research center.
— Jose de la Fuente, "Wine into vinegar-the fall of Cuba's biotechnology," Nature Biotechnology, 19(10): 905-907, October 2001.
1987
The Immunoassays Centre becomes operational. This Center performs R&D that aims to commercialize reagents and diagnostic kits.
2 April 1987
Celia Conseca, the Secretary-General of the Young Communist League (Spanish: Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas, UJC), during a visit at the Laboratory Animals Supply Center (CENPALAB), discusses the necessity of completing the "Havana Work Center," which will be critical to the study of biotechnology.
— "Fifth UJC Conference," Havana Radio Network, 2 April 1987, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
28 February 1989
Castro inaugurates the Ibero-American Neurological Center for Transplants and Rehabilitation, with equipment and space acquired from the National Scientific Research Center (CENIC), which was the first research center developed under Castro. He states that the greatest concern for Cuba is how well the different scientific research centers on the island can cooperate with each other.
— Fidel Castro, "Inauguration: Ibero-American Neurological Center," Television Cubana Network, 28 February 1989, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
4 April 1989
Mikhail Gorbachev, accompanied by Fidel Castro, visits the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, speaking with Manuel Limonta, director of the center. Castro emphasizes continued collaboration between Cuban and the Soviet science academies, while Gorbachev stresses the need for scientific exchange between the two countries.
— "Gorbachev visits sites of social interest in Cuba," Xinhua News Agency, 4 April 1989.
1990
Yuri Kalinin, head of the Soviet's Biopreparat, travels to Cuba to discuss a new biotechnology plant. The Soviet Union, through the initiative of Biopreparat, negotiates the sale of dual-use production equipment to Cuba.
— Ken Alibek and Stephen Handelman, Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World (New York: Random House, 1999), pp. 273-277; "Prepared Testimony of Dr. Kenneth Alibek, Chief Scientist at Hadron, Inc, before the House Armed Services Committee, Military Procurement Subcommittee, and Military Research and Development Subcommittee," Federal News Service, 20 October 1999.
1990
Cuba begins exporting its biomedical products to Latin American countries.
— Fidel Castro, "There will be weapons much more (II)," Granma International Online Edition, 14 May 2002, <http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html>.
22 January 1990
Castro discusses the priority given to the biotechnology industry, stating that this industry is of great interest to the country's "health" and economy. He emphasizes the need to increase productivity, not by increasing the number of workers, but by focusing on the output of each worker.
— Fidel Castro, "Science Day ceremony speech," Cubavision Television, 22 January 1990, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
13 November 1990
Fidel Castro comments on a new variety of sugarcane developed in the laboratory, reported to yield 20 to 22 percent more sugar than existing varieties. The same biotechnology technique used to develop the new sugarcane species is also being used to develop improved strains of bananas and potatoes.
— Fidel Castro, "Castro comments on domestic, foreign affairs," Tele Rebelde Network, 13 November 1990, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
1991
The Carlos J. Finlay Serum and Vaccine Institute becomes operational. This institute, along with the Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM); will perform medical and biotechnology research and development on a variety of vaccines.
— Patricia Grogg, "Vaccine may open window in US blockade," Inter Press Service, 28 July 1999; Patricia Grogg, "New hope in fight against cancer," Inter Press Service, 11 March 2002.
March 1991
Korean People's Army Chief of the General Staff, Ch'oe Kwang, visits the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. This raises concern in the United States that North Korea and Cuba could be cooperating in the area of biotechnology.
— Joseph S. Bermudez Jr, "Exposing the North Korean BW arsenal," Jane's Intelligence Review, 10(08), 1 August 1998.
December 31, 1991
The Soviet Union is officially dissolved. One consequence of this action is that all assistance previously provided to Cuba by the USSR ceases. The value of this assistance was an estimated $6 billion annually. Further, most of the trade between COMECON countries comes to an end. The era of economic hardship that ensued came to be called “el periodo especial” (“special period”) by the Cuban government; it ended approximately 2004.
1992
The Cuban Democracy Act allows U.S. firms to sell medical equipment and medicine to Cuba, but bans exports that might be used in Cuban biotechnology research, thus forcing U.S. merchants to track their products to the end-users. This end-use monitoring can be undertaken by a variety of NGOs or other organizations approved by the Department of Commerce.
— "Medical sales to Cuba," Fact Sheet, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs: U.S. Department of State, 7 September 2001.
20 February 1992
In a speech to the Academy of Sciences, Fidel Castro emphasizes the importance of patriotism and dedication in scientific researchers. He also discusses the work of the agricultural sciences, stating that they are concentrating on the production of azotobacter (a soil bacterium that is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen). Castro states that Cuba has a "tremendous fermentation capacity," which is sufficient for the large-scale production of azotobacter.
— Fidel Castro, "Castro speaks to the Academy of Sciences," Radio Rebelde Network, 21 February 1992, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
28 March 1992
Fidel Castro addresses the Science Workers Congress stating that science is the most important endeavor for a socialist country, and the "great advantage of socialism" is that "we [Cuba] keep our secrets here." Castro emphasizes that science within Cuba has advanced with indigenous technology, even as many technicians and workers were trained in other socialist countries.
— Fidel Castro, "Castro addresses Science Workers Congress," Cubavision Television, Havana, 30 March 1992, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
5 June 1992
In an interview with Tomas Borge, a co-founder of the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua, Fidel Castro states that Cuba’s highest priorities are to develop the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the production of medical equipment. He states that the most important products manufactured thus far in Cuba are the meningitis B vaccine, epidermal growth factor, and streptokinase. Biotechnology is also being used to develop new varieties of plants, as well as biopesticides.
— Tomas Borge, "Interview with Fidel Castro," El Nuevo Diario, 5 June 1992, <http://www.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro.html>.
1993
The first collaboration in biotechnology between Cuba and Iran begins when the two governments sign a biotechnology transfer agreement under which Cuba agrees to provide recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine production capability to the Pasteur Institute of Iran.
— Prensa Latina, 15 January 2002, "Iran, Cuba discuss cooperation in biotechnology, agriculture," BBC Monitoring, 18 January 2002.
January 1993
Castro announces that a third new plant will soon be completed at the Finlay Institute and its purpose is to produce meningitis B vaccine. The second plant is also on schedule to be completed at the same time as new Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine.
— "World Trade News in Brief," Pharma Marketletter, 26 January 1993.
5 August 1993
Edward Gonzalez, a RAND Corporation consultant, states that "Cuba watchers" have been informed that a biological weapons program could exist within Cuba. Cuba has the biological infrastructure and technology for such a program, and has maintained trade with both Iran and Iraq, countries suspected of having their own BW programs. Gonzalez also states that, "...given these ties [with Iran and Iraq] it's a definite possibility that (Cuban president) Fidel Castro will attempt to get a high return on his biotechnology investments." Rep. Robert Menendez (D-N.J), member of the House Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs, said that sources, "not external to Cuba...believe that such a program is being developed 'with the cooperation of Mideast nations known for their acts of terrorism'."
— Armando Trull, "Cuba suspected of developing biological weapons," United Press International, 5 August 1993.
4 October 1993
Vietnam is negotiating to purchase of 50,000 doses of hepatitis B vaccine from Cuba along with items of medical equipment.
— "Vietnam Purchase," Pharma Marketletter, 4 October 1993.
29 October 1993
Speaking to the Fourth Microbiology and Parasitology Congress held at the Convention Palace in Havana on 29 October, Fidel Castro discusses his suspicions about the origin of the 1981 Cuban dengue outbreak, but unlike earlier accusations, makes no mention of it having been caused by the United States. In fact, he lays part of the blame on Cuban public health, stating that “…it was in part due to our own irresponsible conduct because there had been an epidemiological carelessness that resulted in an increment of the transmitting agent; the well-known mosquito discovered by Finlay as the yellow fever transmitting agent. It is here where our carelessness lies. We allowed the Aedes Agypti mosquito to develop even though we were not yet immersed in the special period and we were in a better economic position.” Castro also mentioned that a “P3” (BL-3) laboratory had been under construction for several years at the Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine, but technical problems had prevented its completion.
— Fidel Castro, "Castro addresses Microbiology Congress," Radio Rebelde Network, 30 October 1993, <http://www1.lanic.utexas.edu/project/castro/db/1993/19931104.html>.
2 December 1993
La Fabriquita (Little Factory), also known as the Animal Feed Plant, is inaugurated. The true purpose of the facility immediately comes into question, as defectors claim that only those with a high-level military clearance can enter the plant. Reportedly, Italian-manufactured centrifuge equipment, along with other sensitive laboratory equipment, was transferred to Cuba via a Panama-registered ship crewed by Cuban naval personnel, to equip the plant. The equipment was primarily acquired from Comi-Condor, a company located near to Milan, which reportedly had been involved in sales to Libya as well.
— Martin Arostegui, "Fidel Castro's deadly secret; Castro's biological- and chemical-weapons arsenal," Insight on the News, 14(26): 7, 20 July 1998; Maria C. Werlau, "Does Cuba have biochemical weapons?" Cuba: Assessing the Threat to U.S. Security (Miami: The Endowment for Cuban American Studies, 2001), pp. 99-128; Agustin Blazquez, "Cuba, Castro, and bioterrorism," Medical Sentinel, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, 6(4), pp. 118-120, 2001.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for
Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and
does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2008
by MIIS.
