Newspaper Sues US Government for Withholding Information on the “Cuban Five” 1

Washington, Jan 7 (Prensa Latina) U.S. Liberation newspaper sued today the State Department for denying access to the information necessary to address the case of the Cuban Five convicted and imprisoned in the U.S.A, said the attorney Mara Verheyden-Hilliard. The lawyer, executive director of the Fund for Civil Justice Association, stated at a press conference that the legal action is brought under the Freedom of Information Act to enforce the public’s right to information about the federal government’s payments to journalists in the United States to saturated the Miami media with hostile, inflammatory and prejudicial stories regarding the Cuban Five.

Between 1998 and 2001, the population of Florida received through the press, radio and television a flow of negative propaganda to persuade the jury and interfere in the legal process of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Fernando Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero and René González. They are internationally known as The Five, and severe penalties were imposed to them in 2001 because they were monitoring violent groups based in Miami, from where actions have been organized during the past 53 years resulting in more than 3.400 victims in Cuba.

René González was released from prison in October 2011 after serving his sentence, but was subjected to three years of supervised release and only returned to the Caribbean nation last April when he renounced to his U.S. citizenship.

“They have refused to hand over documents from before November 1999, arguing that to that date Radio and Television Martí belonged to the United States Information Agency (USIA), said Verheyden-Hilliard while specifying that they did no authorized the access to any other data. The lawyer gave the press conference as part of a global day of solidarity with the Five which took place in Washington from May 30 to June 5.

Pace University’s “Left Forum” to Host Panel on The Cuban Five 1

Havana — (Prensa Latina) — The event is part of activities of the Left Forum, to be held on June 7-8, expected to be attended by thousands of people, said the National Free the Five Committee.

According to the solidarity group, the invitation was made in New York to all supporters of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez, internationally known as The Cuban Five.

Famous lawyer Martin Garbus, a member of The Cuban Five’s legal team; Stephen Kimber, a professor of the University of King’s College; Peter Roman, a professor in Hostos Community College; Keith Bolender, a professor in the Toronto University and Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the Committee, will be among the panellists.

The communiqué adds that besides the demand for the immediate release of these Cuban heroes, the panellists will examine the hostile US policy of blockade imposed on Cuba for over fifty years by successive US administrations.

The case of the Cuban Five is “an example of the US intransigence,” said the Committee.

Left Forum is a yearly conference that gathers in New York wide range left wing, progressive intellectuals, activists, scholars, organizations and public in general to discuss and share ideas about the current world situation.

Editor’s Note: Summary of the forthcoming Cuban Five session: http://www.leftforum.org/content/changing-cuba-stagnant-america-strategy-and-continuing-plight-cuban-five

A Chat with a Cuban Spy Back from Miami 1

by Fernando Ravsberg

HAVANA TIMES — On September 12, 1998, the FBI dismantled a network of Cuban spies who had been monitoring anti-Castro groups based in Miami. A number of these spies negotiated with the prosecution to have their sentences reduced, but five refused to do so. Their convictions, which included life sentences, were the most severe.

One of these five Cuban men was pilot Rene Gonzalez, recently released from a US prison, following nearly 13 years of incarceration and another nearly two years on parole. Now back living in Cuba, he agreed to talk to me about his life as an agent, his activities in the United States and his time in prison.

Why did you agree to go the United States and act as a spy there?

I am part of a generation of Cubans who grew up under the threat of terrorist actions against the country. I’ve never forgotten the hijacking of Cuban fishing vessels and the murder of their crews, which were often perpetrated by terrorist groups based in Miami. I was one of the millions of people who attended the massive gathering held in honor of those who were killed off the coast of Barbados, in the terrorist bombing of a Cuban airliner. So, when I was asked to do this, I didn’t hesitate. I felt it was my duty as a patriot.

Is it ethical to spy on another country?

I believe it is ethical to defend yourself when you are being attacked and that was what I set out to do. The most powerful nation in the world has attacked us for many years and we have the right to defend ourselves, provided we do no harm to the American people. At no point was it our intention to do anyone any harm, we merely exercised our right to defend ourselves.

When you lead that kind of double-life, you probably also meet good people along the way. Did you feel you were betraying those people at any point?

The human element can complicate things. In all of these groups, you find good people who actually believe in what they’re doing, or people who are manipulated or harbor prejudices. You learn to recognize them, to identify those who are good people and those who are not. You realize that many of these people would have stayed on board (with the Revolution) under different circumstances and you begin to treat them with the kindness that they deserve.

I don’t want to mention any names, so as not to cause anyone any trouble over there, but I met people who had been officials in Batista’s army, elderly people, and I’m still like a son to them, just as they are like parents to me.

What kind of information were you after? It’s my understanding some of you were operating in a military base.

One of us was at a military base. He was divulging public information, he never had access to anything classified and never looked for it. His job was to compile as much publicly available information about the Cayo Hueso base as he could, because the base is a place where you can pick up signs of a possible terrorist attack against Cuba.

What did the others do?

Gerardo was in charge of coordinating the network’s activities. I had infiltrated several organizations: Brothers to the Rescue (Hermanos al Rescate), Democracy (Democracia), United Liberation Command (Comando de Liberación Unido) and others. I went through quite a number of different groups, because anyone who needs a small plane for their operations also needs a pilot and I was available.

Read the full story here: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=93682

Havana Times: Obama Must Set the Cuban Five Free 2

Por Elio Delgado Legón

HAVANA TIMES — In the course of over 14 years, I have often asked myself why so much secrecy has surrounded the case of the five Cubans who were detained in Miami in 1998. These men endured 17 months of solitary confinement in “the hole”, in violation of U.S. law, as well as a 3-year trial replete with similar violations of the country’s laws, and no newspaper made any effort to bring to light what was taking place.

I am referring to Miami’s newspapers, radio and television, yes, for these, to my knowledge, did not go on vacation in the three years the trial lasted. A number of journalists did work, but only to create an atmosphere charged with anti-Cuban sentiments and feelings of antipathy towards those they referred to as spies. We later found out that those journalists had been paid by the US government, to create precisely that kind of atmosphere and steer public opinion and the juries entrusted with the verdict towards those feelings of antipathy.

The judge turned down the petition to hold the trial in a more impartial venue, as the laws of the country demand. The juries were intimidated by Miami’s terrorists, terrorists whose identity everyone knows. In my opinion, the judge was also intimidated and threatened, for the ridiculously harsh sentences she imposed on the Cuban Five cannot be explained any other way.

Rene Gonzalez’ sentence was the least severe: 15 years in prison, a term he has already served. The most severe and irrational sentence was imposed on Gerardo Hernandez: two life sentences plus 15 years.

Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando Gonzalez had their initial sentences overturned and a subsequent re-sentencing took place as a result of an appeal process. However their second sentences were also irrational and unjust, for they were again accused of crimes they did not commit.

They tried to blackmail Rene, using his wife’s detention to pressure him into pleading guilty of espionage, in order to be able to accuse Cuba of spying on the United States. But a true revolutionary like Rene does not yield to blackmail. He would have had to lie, to his country’s detriment, to save himself from a sure conviction. They had no evidence against him, but they sentenced him to 15 years in prison nonetheless.

Conspiracy to commit murder was one of the unfounded charges brought against Gerardo, in connection with the downing, over Cuban waters, of two small planes belonging to the terrorist organization Brothers to the Rescue (Hermanos al Rescate), an organization that had been systematically encroaching on Cuba’s airspace and dropping leaflets that called for an armed uprising against the government.

The organization had announced another fly-over for February 24 and the Cuban government had forewarned US air traffic authorities that, if they encroached on the country’s airspace again, they would be shot down in self-defense, because a terrorist organization could, at any moment, decide to drop bombs instead of leaflets.

Despite this, the planes took off from U.S. soil and penetrated Cuban airspace. The head of the organization didn’t take any chances; he stayed behind to watch his planes be shot down. If anyone is to be held responsible and pay for those deaths, it is Mr. Basulto, the person who sent them to a sure death, without even having had the courage to face the same fate. He used them as cannon fodder to later be able to accuse Cuba of murder.

The government of the United States has repeatedly refused to publish the satellite images which show the exact location where the planes were shot down, for these images show that the incident took place within Cuba’s airspace and, therefore, Gerardo cannot be held liable for the pilots’ deaths in any way.

Of all the charges brought against Gerardo and the other four anti-terrorist activists convicted, the only truthful one is that these men were acting as agents for the Cuban government without declaring this fact at the Attorney General’s Office. But acting as an agent does not mean conducting espionage. These men infiltrated terrorist organizations, not official institutions of the US government.

The Cuban Five have been the victims of innumerable irregularities and violations, violations I have enumerated in a previous post. This is the reason the US government doesn’t want the press to give the case any coverage, for, if the people of the United States knew what was happening, they would demand that this situation, which puts a stain on their country’s judicial system, be brought to an end. All of this ought to be considered by the Obama administration, which must set the Cuban Five free.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excellent example of disinformation, which is false or inaccurate information deliberately spread with the goal of making legitimate information useless. It is inherently different from misinformation, which is spreading information that is unintentionally false.

Cuba’s intelligence chieftains undoubtedly view the recent Justice Department decision allowing convicted spy Rene Gonzalez to remain in Cuba as a strategic victory. As a result, expect a sharp increase in the volume of disinformation and other propaganda emanating from Havana and its allies regarding its incarcerated spies.

Ros-Lehtinen Comenta Sobre Espia Convicto Rene Gonzalez y el Caso de Alan Gross 1

Expelled Cuban Spy Hosts Press Conference for Released Cuban Spy 1

Cuban spy officially stripped of US citizenship

Editor’s Note: You have to admire the Castro regime’s unabashed chutzpah. Expelled spy Gustavo Machin Gomez, who now serves as director of Cuba’s International Press Center, hosted a press conference for convicted Wasp Network spy, Rene Gonzalez. In November 2002, First Secretary Gustavo Machin Gomez was declared Persona Non Grata and expelled from the United States. At the time, he had been serving under diplomatic cover at the Cuban Interests Section. According to the Washington Post, the expulsion retaliated for the 16-year career of Cuban spy Ana Montes, who was sentenced in October 2002. Machin was then promoted to Ambassador to Pakistan, where he is believed to have targeted US counterterrorism operations in the region.

CBS News Exclusive: Cuban Spy on Renouncing U.S. Citizenship 1

CBS News Exclusive: Cuban spy on renouncing U.S. citizenship

CBS News’ Portia Siegelbaum has an exclusive interview with Cuban intelligence agent Rene Gonzalez, who spent 13 years in a U.S. prison and two years of supervised probation in Florida before being allowed to renounce his citizenship.

Cuban Spy Slams U.S. 1

Cuban agent Rene Gonzalez reaffirms his commitment to the communist-led island and defends his fellow Cuban spies still in U.S. detention shortly after taking the first steps to renounce his American citizenship.

Cuba Open to Talks With US Over Detained ‘Spies’ 1

Brazil – (Agence France-Presse) – Visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Monday that Cuba was ready to open talks with the United States on swapping their respective nationals held for spying.

Speaking to reporters after meeting his Brazilian counterpart, Antonio Patriota, Rodriguez referred to US contractor Alan Gross, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence in Cuba, and of Cubans convicted of espionage in the United States. “Cuba has signaled to the United States its readiness to open serious, respectful talks, taking into account humanitarian aspects, to try to find a solution to the case of Mr. Alan Gross and also taking into account reciprocal humanitarian concerns in the case of the other Cuban citizens still detained in the United States,” he added. “Gross was sentenced for violating Cuban laws as agent of a foreign power who tried to set up (spy) rings with use of non-commercial technology, military technology for avoiding satellite signals, to change the constitutional order of our country,” the Cuban chief diplomat said.

Gross, 64, was arrested in December 2009 for distributing laptops and communications equipment to members of Cuba’s small Jewish community under a State Department contract. Rodriguez was queried about Gross after a Florida federal court last Friday ruled that one of five Cubans convicted of spying in the United States would be allowed to remain permanently in Cuba in exchange for renouncing his US citizenship. Rene Gonzalez, 56, who was on probation in the United States after serving 13 years in prison for espionage, has been in Cuba since traveling there to attend the April 22 burial of his father.

Gonzalez was arrested in 1998 along with the other members of the Cuban Five group — Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando Gonzalez. The five men were found guilty in 2001 of trying to infiltrate US military installations in South Florida and were given long prison terms, ranging from 15 years to life. Gonzalez was released from prison in October 2011. Cuba has admitted that the five were intelligence agents but says they simply aimed to gather information on “terrorist” plots by Cuban expatriates in Florida — not to spy on the US government.

Cuban Spy Unrepentant, But Hopes For Better Ties 1

HAVANA (AP) — A Cuban intelligence agent who spent 13 years in a U.S. prison said Monday he still has affection for America and hopes to see the two countries reconcile, but added that he does not regret for a moment his decision to spy for Cuba. Rene Gonzalez also told The Associated Press he would welcome an exchange of prisoners that would send a jailed U.S. government subcontractor home in return for freedom for four other Cuban agents serving sentences in America. Speaking soon after renouncing his U.S. citizenship, Gonzalez called on President Barack Obama to show “courage” in changing U.S. policy toward the Communist-run island. “I would like to think that the North American government will meet the hopes of the whole world, which is telling it to change its policy toward Cuba,” Gonzalez said. “Courage is what President Obama needs now.”

The interview, conducted in the presence of his lawyer and a Cuban government representative, was Gonzalez’s first since U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard ruled Friday that he could remain on the Communist-run island in return for renouncing his U.S. citizenship. Gonzalez had asked for permission to do so several times, but the U.S. government initially refused. Lenard had earlier granted the 56-year-old leave to travel to Cuba to attend a memorial for his father, the second trip home he had been allowed to make since his release in 2011. Earlier Monday, Gonzalez arrived at the U.S. diplomatic compound in Havana accompanied by his wife and children to renounce his citizenship. He waved as onlookers shouted his name from surrounding buildings, then spent about 30 minutes inside completing the necessary paperwork.

Under U.S. law, Americans who choose to renounce their citizenship must do so at an overseas consular office. They are warned that the move is irrevocable, and must pay a $450 fee. Gonzalez‘s request must still be sent to Washington for approval, at which point he would receive a certificate of loss of nationality. Gonzalez, who was born in Chicago before moving to Cuba as an infant, is one of the so-called “Cuban Five.” The men were convicted in 2001 of spying on U.S. military installations in South Florida as well as exile groups and politicians. Gonzalez was released about a year and a half ago but ordered to stay in the U.S. while he served a three-year probation. The other four agents remain in jail.

The Five are celebrated as heroes in Cuba, with their faces staring down from highway billboards and restaurant shrines. Their case has received renewed attention since the 2009 arrest of Alan Gross, a U.S. government subcontractor who is serving a 15-year sentence after he was caught bringing communications equipment onto the island illegally while on a USAID-funded democracy building program. Cuba has suggested it would be willing to free the 64-year-old Maryland native in exchange for the five agents, something Washington has rejected, at least publically.

In the interview, Gonzalez said such an exchange would be “a good gesture on both sides in order to improve relations between Cuba and the United States.” He said he hoped his release would give hope to the other four agents and their families. Of his four co-defendants, 49-year-old Fernando Gonzalez, also known as Ruben Campa, is scheduled for release from an Arizona prison Feb. 27, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons. Antonio Guerrero, 54, is set to walk out of a north Florida prison Sept. 18, 2017. The other two are serving much longer sentences. Gonzalez flew to Florida in 1990 on a crop duster that he had supposedly hijacked in order to defect. In reality, he was a Cuban agent from the start.

Finally reunited permanently with his wife and two daughters, Gonzalez insisted on Monday that he had never second-guessed his actions. “Nobody made me do it. They told me the risks, and I said ‘Yes,’” he said. “I did it as a Cuban patriot and I don’t have any regrets … I’ve never doubted myself for a second.” Gonzalez insists his activities never aimed to harm the United States or its people, but only to protect Cuba from a wave of bombings perpetrated by militant exile groups that aimed to sabotage the island’s tourism industry. An Italian man was killed.

He said he took no pleasure in renouncing his citizenship, though he has always felt more Cuban than American. “I have family in the United States and I left many friends there,” he said. “It is a country with a history that is admirable … One realizes that there is more that we have in common than what separates us.”