Miami radio station fined over Castro crank call

[Bond]

I was going to wait until tomorrow, but this one is just too good to wait for.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Spanish-language radio station in Miami that crank called Cuban leader Fidel Castro faces a 4,000 dollar fine, according to federal regulators.

The station, El Zol 95.7, duped Castro into believing that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was calling to seek help in tracking down a suitcase containing secret documents he said he lost during a trip to Argentina.

Eventually, a man posing as a Chavez aide asked Castro: "Do you agree with the **** on the island, murderer?" and added, "You fell for it ... the whole of Miami is listening to you, Fidel Castro."

"What did I fall for, you ****?" the irate Cuban leader answered, adding further crude expletives, including references to the anatomy of the radio host's mother.

Castro eventually hung up, ending the 25-minute conversation.

The recording of the conversation June 17, 2003 was repeatedly aired. The station played a similar prank on Chavez in January 2003, pretending Castro was on the line.

The Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) on Friday recommended that the station be fined 4,000 dollars for broadcasting a telephone conversation without notifying the other party.

The station has 30 days to challenge or pay the fine.

Miami is home to close to 700,000 Cuban exiles and Cuban-Americans, many of whom staunchly oppose Castro's communist government.

Source: Yahoo