by Daniel Nardini
In the case of former U.S. Sargeant Bowe Bergdahl, there are now accusations that he had in fact deserted his post and was thus captured by the Taliban. In my view, these remain accusations and only an investigation will establish the truth. I always believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty. However, one former Cuban spy is now alleging that this is a precedent for exchanging U.S. prisoner in Cuba Alan Gross for three Cuban men who are part of what is being called the “Cuban Five.”
The Cuban Five are those Cuban espionage agents who were sent by the Cuban government to ascertain information on Cuban exile groups in Miami, Florida, and to warn the Cuban government about any “terrorist acts.” The Cuban government never denied that these five agents worked for the Cuban government, and that they were sent to try and prevent terrorist acts by Cuban exile groups from committing violent acts such as was done by Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles. This may sound like a plausible argument, except that these Cuban spies also spied on non-violent Cuban exile groups whose only acts were trying to distribute leaflets over Cuban airspace.
This was the case with the Brothers to the Rescue who simply sent planes over Cuba and dropped leaflets. In 1996, two airplanes operated by the Brothers to the Rescue were shot down for doing nothing more than distributing leaflets in Cuba (one of the planes was shot down by Cuban military jets in international waters). The Cuban Five provided the Cuban government with information that led to the downing of these two unarmed planes and hence the Cuban Five were tried and found guilty for the murder of the personnel aboard these two planes. Of the Cuban Five, Gerardo Hernandez was given two life terms, and Antonio Guerrero, and Ramon Labanino were given life, and Fernando Gonzalez was given 19 years and Rene Gonzalez given 15 years.
Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez have since been freed—having served their time, and are now back in Cuba. Fernando Gonzalez has suggested that perhaps the three remainder of the Cuban Five should be swapped for Alan Gross, an aid worker for the USAID Agency who was imprisoned by the Cuban government for “subverting the state.” In my view, the two cases cannot be linked. The Cuban Five were spies, and their actions led to the deaths of innocent people. Alan Gross is a political prisoner, a pawn in a game by the Cuban government to get what it wants no matter how much it makes the family of Alan Gross as well as Alan Gross suffer for it. The U.S. government has said that Alan Gross should be freed unconditionally, and I agree with this. However, the Cuban government will never let Gross go unless it gets what it wants. Perhaps it is time to apply extreme pressure on the Cuban government. Perhaps the U.S. embargo should strengthened, perhaps even military threats should be made. This seems to be the only actions the Cuban government understands. If done the way Fernando Gonzalez suggests, it would simply be giving into blackmail.
A Bogus Exchange
by Daniel Nardini
In the case of former U.S. Sargeant Bowe Bergdahl, there are now accusations that he had in fact deserted his post and was thus captured by the Taliban. In my view, these remain accusations and only an investigation will establish the truth. I always believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty. However, one former Cuban spy is now alleging that this is a precedent for exchanging U.S. prisoner in Cuba Alan Gross for three Cuban men who are part of what is being called the “Cuban Five.”
The Cuban Five are those Cuban espionage agents who were sent by the Cuban government to ascertain information on Cuban exile groups in Miami, Florida, and to warn the Cuban government about any “terrorist acts.” The Cuban government never denied that these five agents worked for the Cuban government, and that they were sent to try and prevent terrorist acts by Cuban exile groups from committing violent acts such as was done by Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles. This may sound like a plausible argument, except that these Cuban spies also spied on non-violent Cuban exile groups whose only acts were trying to distribute leaflets over Cuban airspace.
This was the case with the Brothers to the Rescue who simply sent planes over Cuba and dropped leaflets. In 1996, two airplanes operated by the Brothers to the Rescue were shot down for doing nothing more than distributing leaflets in Cuba (one of the planes was shot down by Cuban military jets in international waters). The Cuban Five provided the Cuban government with information that led to the downing of these two unarmed planes and hence the Cuban Five were tried and found guilty for the murder of the personnel aboard these two planes. Of the Cuban Five, Gerardo Hernandez was given two life terms, and Antonio Guerrero, and Ramon Labanino were given life, and Fernando Gonzalez was given 19 years and Rene Gonzalez given 15 years.
Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez have since been freed—having served their time, and are now back in Cuba. Fernando Gonzalez has suggested that perhaps the three remainder of the Cuban Five should be swapped for Alan Gross, an aid worker for the USAID Agency who was imprisoned by the Cuban government for “subverting the state.” In my view, the two cases cannot be linked. The Cuban Five were spies, and their actions led to the deaths of innocent people. Alan Gross is a political prisoner, a pawn in a game by the Cuban government to get what it wants no matter how much it makes the family of Alan Gross as well as Alan Gross suffer for it. The U.S. government has said that Alan Gross should be freed unconditionally, and I agree with this. However, the Cuban government will never let Gross go unless it gets what it wants. Perhaps it is time to apply extreme pressure on the Cuban government. Perhaps the U.S. embargo should strengthened, perhaps even military threats should be made. This seems to be the only actions the Cuban government understands. If done the way Fernando Gonzalez suggests, it would simply be giving into blackmail.