The Cuban Five and the eleven Russians

Lorenzo Gonzalo in Miami

The case of those who passed information to the Russians rises curiosity when compared to the Cuban Five accused and sentenced in the United States to extraordinary convictions for similar actions.

For convenience the so-called ‘free’ press tends to be complacent about certain facts that require adaptation to the White House policy.

A way to handle such issues is to use lightly the term espionage although there are notable differences between foreign agent and spy.

Everyone living in the United States and performing research or collecting general information not related to sensitive matters of State is a foreign agent. It does not matter whether the individual perceives a salary or any commission.

These people should be recorded as employees of a third State backed by the Law on Foreign Agent Registration, a remnant of the Cold War which has become effective after the Twin Towers and the threats of the radical Islamic groups.

It is also exacerbated by the belligerent attitude of the United States against the States of the Middle East. The registration unit is part of the Counter Intelligence Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.

On the other hand, American laws consider spies those who collect, attempt and conspire to acquire sensitive information that may endanger national security.

Those who operate within the definition of ‘foreign agents’ without registering commit a crime punishable by 10 years in prison and fines of several thousand of dollars. Hence the importance of knowing the concept of spy and agent because the press manipulates it, as it has happened with the Cuban Five convicted to sentences that are totally divorced from the crime committed.

Legal cases in the United States are under the control of judges, while not assumed by the Executive. Supposedly the three powers are separated, but those issues considered of State, are handled under political considerations with almost no involvement of the judiciary.

The best and most recent proof was the treatment of ten people arrested in the United States and deported to Russia. The hypocrisy of the matter jumps when analyzing the case of the Cuban Five imprisoned for similar activities.

The Five, as called in campaigning for their release, were judged in a kind of mounted Roman circus in Miami, Florida where a small group of people of Cuban origin controls and dominates politics.

Thus, the Five received sentences for espionage and conspiracy so welcoming in this radical sector precisely associated with terrorist activities that these five individuals were in charge of investigating and reporting to Havana.

The White House was more interested in satisfying those radical groups than in eradicating this type of activity.

The case of the Russian agents and their prompt deportation to preserve the good relationship emerging between the United States and Russia, once again attests that the release of the Cuban five anti-terrorist is in the hands of the Executive.

It has been over half a century of tensions between the United States and Cuba. On many occasions the first one has attacked the second one.

The Intelligence Agencies of the Northern nation have conducted violent actions against Cuban facilities or have cover up for similar actions of fans of Cuban origin. Also they have spied with the purpose of destabilizing the government in La Habana. Cuba, meanwhile, has only sought to use the information on policies designed to affect its territoriality and independence, mainly by resorting to the use of agents and not spies.

The current Executive headed by President Barack Obama, should proceed because it has all the powers to do so for the sake of better relations with a neighbor whose, social, economic and political problems must be resolved without interference from third parties.

Translated by: María Luisa Hernández Garcilaso de la Vega