Several news sources in the United States and Europe are reporting late today that Alan Gross has sugested that the U.S. trade him for the Miami Five. His request was allegedly made to a rabbi, David Shneyer, who recently visited Gross in Cuba. According to media reports, Rabbi Shneyer made the request public today in a message to members of his congregation, located near Washington, D.C. There is no indication that Shneyer spoke directly with the press about Gross' alleged wishes to be exchanged.
Gross is a Maryland resident who was arrested in Havana in December 2009. In March he was convicted of state security crimes in a Cuban court, and was sentenced to 15 years. He has served almost two years of that term, and is said to be in poor health.
The Miami Five are Cubans who were arrested in south Florida in 1998. They were accused of spying for the Castro regime, and all were given lengthy sentences for espionage. Four of them remain in prison, but one was released on October 7 after serving 13 years. He asked to be allowed to return to his family in Havana, but the U.S. government objected, insisting that he serve another 36 months of conditional release (parole) in the United States. In a September 16 ruling a federal judge in Miami sided with prosecutors, although she may reconsider her decision at a later date. Meanwhile, the released Cuban must remain in the U.S.
The Miami Five are regarded as national heroes in Cuba. The Castro government has repeatedly demanded their release, arguing that they were not spies. The president of Cuba's parliament implied in statements several weeks ago that Gross will never be unilaterally released, and that if the U.S. wants him back they will have to free the Miami Five in exchange. Cuban officials, including Fidel Castro, were infuriated when the judge refused to let the paroled member of the Five return home.
Both President Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, have said that no swap will be considered. The matter of Alan Gross and the Miami Five has further complicated U.S.-Cuba relations, and resulted in a hard freeze of what many had hoped would be a warming trend after Obama was elected in 2008.
I have written numerous articles about Alan Gross and the Miami Five. I've argued for months that it's time for a prisoner swap, just as the U.S. did with Russian spies in 2009. I'm glad Alan Gross (apparently) has finally asked for such a deal himself, even though it will probably fall on deaf ears in Washington. But here's why the U.S. should do it: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-shows-revolting-double-standard-in.html.
Why it's time to jettison the U.S. embargo of Cuba: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-embargo-of-cuba.html.
For Spanish readers, here's another article on the justification for a prisoner exchange: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/alan-gross-y-los-cinco-de-miami.html.
Another recent post on Alan Gross: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/11/alan-gross-supporters-take-their.html.
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