Judy Gross, wife of convicted USAID contractor Alan Gross who is serving a 15 year sentence in Cuba for state security crimes, today implored president Barack Obama to do whatever is necessary to bring her husband home, "despite the impending elections" in 2012. Her desperate plea came as the second anniversary of Alan's arrest nears.
Gross, a Maryland resident, was detained in Havana in December 2009 as he was preparing to board a flight to the United States. He was convicted of various offenses by a Cuban criminal court in March 2011, and the judgment and sentence were later upheld by the nation's highest tribunal. Former president Jimmy Carter and ex-New Mexico governor Bill Richardson were unable to secure Gross' release during visits to the island. The latter trip ended in rather spectacular failure, with considerable name calling on both sides.
Gross, 62, is said to be in poor health, as is one of his adult daughters and his mother in the United States, both of whom reportedly have cancer.
"I spoke (by telephone) with Alan several days ago," said Mrs. Gross. "Never have I heard him sound so depressed, so desperate. He could spend the rest of his days locked up for doing something he loved: helping the Jewish community." Her comments were carried this afternoon by the Spanish language El Nuevo Herald in Miami.
Declaring that politics are playing a central role in her husband's case, Judy Gross urged president Obama to "stand up and do something to help bring Alan home." She added, "Just because the United States and Cuba don't have diplomatic relations doesn't mean that they can't sit down and resolve the situation."
Gross, who is Jewish, has been described as a "humanitarian aid worker" by family and supporters, who claimed that he traveled to Cuba "to work with the small Jewish community there to improve their internet access and create an intranet for them." Internet access is tightly controlled by Cuban authorities, and is unavailable to most people. No one disputes that Gross made multiple trips to the island in 2008 and 2009, always traveling under a tourist visa. The U.S. government has said that Gross' improper visa declaration was a "technical violation" of Cuban law.
But in an article published in May 2011, former CIA agent Philip Giraldi alleged that Gross was paid $500,000 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to travel to Cuba "to hand out laptop computers and cell and satellite phones to the local 1,000 strong Jewish community" on the island. If the story is accurate such activities made Gross far more than a humanitarian aid worker, and would have been strictly regulated by Cuban law, requiring official permission.
Gross and his attorneys have issued several press releases since his conviction declaring that he was "used, duped and was a trusting fool," without elaborating further.
The Associated Press today identified a Maryland company, Development Alternatives Inc., as the private USAID contractor for whom Gross was working when he made his trips to Cuba. According to the story, Gross had asked the company to confirm with the Cuban government that his internet access work on the island would be lawful. The company allegedly refused to do so, and instructed Gross not to contact Cuban officials, telling him "not to worry about the project." When he expressed concern about the trips, Gross was told by a DAI company co-worker, "If anything happens, you'll be out in two days." Today's AP article also contains this statement: "A spokesman for DAI said that Gross 'designed, proposed, and implemented work' for the company, which had a government contract for a democracy-building project on the Communist island."
If the Associated Press report is accurate, Development Alternatives Inc. was hired by the U.S. government to engage in "democracy-building" activities in Cuba, and DAI in turn subcontracted Alan Gross to carry out the work. But there is no evidence that Cuban officials had knowledge of or authorized such "democracy-building" activities or projects.
Cuban authorities have made it clear that they are prepared to exchange Gross for the Miami Five, who are Cubans arrested in south Florida in 1998. The Five 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 Sept. 16 ruling a federal judge in Miami sided with prosecutors, although she may reconsider her decision. The paroled Cuban remains in the U.S.
The Miami Five are national heroes in Cuba. The Castro government has repeatedly demanded their release, arguing that they were not spies. Cuba's parliamentary president implied last year that Gross will not be unilaterally released, and that if the U.S. wants him back it must free the Five. Cuban officials, including Fidel Castro, were infuriated when the judge refused to let the paroled member of the Five return home after his 13 year incarceration in the United States.
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.
Nov. 16 - Alan Gross sues U.S. government and its "subversion" contractor, claiming deception
The Alan Gross case revealed
Why the U.S. should do a prisoner swap with Cuba: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-shows-revolting-double-standard-in.html.
Why the U.S. should abandon the disastrously failed Cuban embargo: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-embargo-of-cuba.html.
Alan Gross y Los Cinco de Miami: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/alan-gross-y-los-cinco-de-miami.html.
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