Exile group's implosion could mean loss of influence in Washington.(Brief Article)

WASHINGTON - Turmoil in the Cuban American National Foundation, which has split the powerful organization into warring factions, may damage the lobbying clout of the Cuban exile group and weaken support for US economic sanctions against Havana.

The resignation of 22 CANF directors in early August has left CANF divided into two warring camps. One includes former CANF spokeswoman Ninosca Perez, Alberto Hernandez - who served as interim head of the organization for a year after the death of founder Jorge Mas Canosa - attorney Ignacio Sanchez and former Cuban political prisoner Luis Zuniga. Some of the senior directors who have left the organization are community activists with broad grassroots support in the Cuban American community, like Perez who hosts a popular Miami radio show.

The defector's are pitted against CANF head Jorge Mas Santos, the son of the founder, and his advisers.

The rift is likely to result in a number of bitter lawsuits. Saying its trademark registration had lapsed, the splinter group claims that it now owns the Cuban American National Foundation name. In addition, the Mas Santos camp has accused the departing directors of stealing organization files and other key documents.

Dennis Hays, CANF executive vice president and head of the group's Washington office, predicted the rump group of directors would lose the "tussle" over the CANF name. He expected there will be a more serious, and lengthy, battle over the organization's documents.

Hays said CANF would survive the chaos that now plagues the organization, just as the exile group has overcome past divisions in its ranks.

An earlier feud was touched off when founder Mas Canosa fired his brother from the CANE Another broke out when Mas Canosa fought with former CANF official Frank Calzon who quit the group and started his own anti-Castro organization, the Center for a Free Cuba, in Washington.