Cuban Five: a Cruel and Bizarre Decision

[Judi Lynn]

September 19, 2011
7Judge Lenard Order's René González to Live in Miami on Supervised Release
Cuban Five: a Cruel and Bizarre Decision
by JOSÉ PERTIERRA

On Friday, September 16, a federal district court judge made a bizarre ruling concerning one of the Cuban Five defendants who completes his jail sentence on October 7. Judge Joan Lenard ruled that René Gonzalez, who has already served thirteen years in a federal penitentiary for being an unregistered agent of the Cuban government, will be forced for the next three years to live in Miami on what is called “supervised release.”

Mr. Gonzalez had asked the Court to allow him to return home to Cuba to be with his wife, Olga, and his two daughters, Ivette and Irma. Several years ago, the Department of State decided to permanently bar Olga from getting a visa to come to the United States. She has been able to visit her husband only once, during the last thirteen years. A cruel and unusual punishment for any prisoner.

Although born in the United States, Mr. González grew up in Cuba. He returned to this country—at the behest of the Cuban government—to monitor the activities of extremist groups in Miami who were carrying out terrorist attacks against Cuba’s civilian population from their safe havens in southern Florida. But because he did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and inform the Department of Justice of his activities here, he violated the law. The Miami-based terrorists he was monitoring, conversely, have never been prosecuted and remain free and protected in Miami.

What possible interest would the United States government have in further punishing a person whose only crime is fighting terrorism? Why force him to remain in Miami, a hotbed of anti-Cuba terrorism, for the next three years? Doesn’t it matter that Miami-based terrorists have murdered 3,478 Cubans and incapacitated 2,099 more during the past five decades? Furthermore, how can Mr. González be expected to comply with the terms of his supervised release in Miami?

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/09/19/cuban-five-a-cruel-and-bizarre-decision/

[dipsydoodle]

1. Just gets worse

Don't it.

x(

[sabrina 1]

2. Human rights organizaions should intervene on his behalf. That is

so wrong. I read about this case last year for the first time and it made me cry that we can be so hateful and cruel in this country. What a tragic story and it makes this country look so brutal and vengeful.

They needed more advocacy here, but I don't think they had much support at all as I had never heard of this case until last year.

[ngant17]

3. a human rights violation

if the US government does not try to protect one of the Cuban Five who they are forcing to live in Miami. It was the government's decision to force him to live here.

Where is Pres. Obama on this? I will have absolute disgust for the man if he ignores a situation where Rene Gonzalez can be gunned down on the streets of Miami with impunity. I have no doubt that elements of this government want to see a political murder happen. And they can facilitate that process as they have always done before.

[The Wizard]

4. Our Cuban policy

is bizarre to say the least. It's all about electoral votes in Florida. This is no way to run a government.