To hear Fidel Castro tell it, Americans would flock to Cuba's communist culture were it not for the evil yanqui trade embargo holding Cuba down. Well, not quite.

A group of wealthy radical chicsters, dismissing the embargo as something for little people, decided to host communist Cuban operatives for a Washington "cultural" benefit. To their chagrin, they found that only freeloaders go to such events, because no one wanted to buy the $90 ticket. But as their consolation prize, there was no lack of interest: Tipped off by Cuban—American exiles, who are more than a little familiar with Castroite "culture," the wealthy Castro—worshippers attracted a host extremely interested Treasury agents charged with enforcing Trading With The Enemy laws. 

A.M. Mora y Leon   11 28 04