Senadores y Representantes norteamericanos reciben al Comite Free Five

La Habana, 20 abr (PL) Unos 40 senadores y miembros de la Cámara de Representantes del Congreso de Estados Unidos mostraron interés por el caso de los cinco antiterroristas cubanos, condenados a largas penas en ese país, aseguraron hoy aquí activistas.

  "Algunos fueron cautelosos, pero en general todos mostraron un interés", precisó en esta capital Graciela Ramírez, coordinadora del Comité Internacional por la Libertad de los Cinco, al referirse al acercamiento en Washington a congresistas como parte de las actividades que se realizan en Estados Unidos a favor de los antiterroristas.  Mas >>

Dos espias cubanos son ahora artistas para The Guardian

Por Quien Merece Amor (For Those Who Deserve Love) by Antonio Guerrero.

Cuban art: banged up abroad >>

Cuba : agente cubano explica discreción de su visita

LA HABANA (AP) — René González, uno de los cinco agentes cubanos condenados a prisión en Estados Unidos, explicó que por respeto a la legalidad adoptó una actitud discreta y fuera de la luz pública durante una visita de 14 días a la isla, con el propósito de visitar a su hermano enfermo, tras la cual regresó al país norteamericano.

"Era imprescindible que mi conducta en Cuba fuera de extrema moderación. Era impensable que no regresara", afirmó González en una carta leída el martes en el noticiero nocturno de la televisión cubana.

"En el mismo ánimo de respeto a la legalidad que nos ha guiado desde el principio de este proceso era imprescindible que no convirtiéramos mi estancia en la patria en algo que no se ajustara a la naturaleza de tal solicitud. En ello iba nuestra palabra", agregó la misiva fechada el 14 de abril, al día siguiente de que según la prensa cubana González regresó a Estados Unidos.

González llegó a Cuba el 30 de marzo después de que un juez en Florida le dio permiso para visitar a su hermano gravemente enfermo. Es uno de los cinco agentes elogiados como patriotas en la isla desde que fueron condenados a largas penas de prisión en Estados Unidos en 1998.

Tras cumplir 13 años de una sentencia de 15, González, que posee la doble nacionalidad cubana y estadounidense, quedó en libertad vigilada en octubre pasado pero bajo la condición de permanecer en Estados Unidos durante tres años. Vivía en un lugar no revelado cuando el juez lo autorizó a realizar el viaje bajo la condición de que regresara a Estados Unidos. Los otros cuatro permanecen en prisión.   Aqui >>  y  Aqui >>

Regresó el espia René Gonzalez a los Estados Unidos

Leer >>

Zero fanfare in Cuba for intel agent's return - Should back to U.S. on Friday

Fox News/

Cuba's Communist government calls almost daily for the return of the five agents it considers national heroes. But the current visit to the island by one, Rene Gonzalez, has gone virtually unnoticed.

There have been no ticker-tape parades for Gonzalez, one of the five Cuban intelligence operatives celebrated as patriots here ever since they were sentenced to long prison terms in the United States.

Gonzalez arrived on the island more than a week ago after a Florida judge granted him permission to visit his gravely ill brother, but the man whose face graces billboards in Havana along with those of the four other Cuban agents held in the United States since 1998, hasn't appeared in public.

"He's in Cuba? Really?" said Jose Blanco, a 52-year-old construction worker in Havana. "I didn't know. I didn't even hear about it."

"The radio silence is deafening," said Anne Louise Bardach, the author of the book "Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington."

Havana has long demanded the return of the Cuban Five, who were convicted of being part of a ring known as the "Wasp Network" that sought to infiltrate U.S. military installations in South Florida, and monitor Cuban exile groups and politicians opposed to then-President Fidel Castro's government. Havana says the five men never posed any danger to the United States and were only monitoring exile groups responsible for a bombing campaign that killed an Italian tourist on the island.

Reviled by many exiles in Miami, the agents are called the "Five Heroes" back home and lionized as "antiterrorists." State TV broadcasts and newspapers air calls for "freedom for the five!" on a near-daily basis.

Some analysts said Cuba's desire to win the men family visits, better treatment and ultimate release is a possible reason for the silence around the visit. Others said Havana could be hoping to get the five exchanged for Alan Gross, a U.S. government subcontractor sentenced to 15 years in Cuba after he brought restricted communications equipment onto the island.

The only information about Gonzalez's two-week trip has been a short official statement read on the news March 30, the day he arrived, and carried in newspapers the following morning. The notice said it would be a "private family visit."

Gonzalez, a dual U.S.-Cuban citizen, was released in October after serving 13 years of a 15-year sentence, but was ordered to remain in the U.S. for three years under terms of his supervised release. He had been living at an undisclosed location when the judge ruled he could make the visit on condition he return to the United States. The other four men remain in prison.

"If (Cuban officials) are going to get a hearing with the Obama administration with regard to any of the issues that they want to raise, it probably helps to keep this visit quiet and not make the issue more political than it already is," said Philip Peters, a longtime Cuba analyst at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute.

"The quiet that we're seeing here indicates that the Cuban government is not rubbing the administration's nose in the judge's decision," Peters added, noting that the same justice who ordered Gonzalez to stay in the U.S. during his probation overrode U.S. Justice Department objections in granting him the temporary furlough.

Bardach said it's even possible that the low profile of Gonzalez's trip could be a sign of backdoor negotiations about Gross, although officials have repeatedly played down speculation about a swap and analysts say it would be politically risky for President Obama to do anything to alienate Cuban exiles in Florida in an election year.

Requests to interview Gonzalez have not been granted. There has been no word on where Gonzalez, a slender 55-year-old with a graying goatee, was staying in Cuba.

It's a sharp contrast from state television's live broadcast of raft survivor Elian Gonzalez's return to the island in 2000. About 800 children from the boy's school greeted him at the airport when he returned to Havana after a bitter custody tug-of-war between his Cuban father and Miami relatives who wanted him to stay in the U.S.

But while Elian was returning for good back then; Rene Gonzalez is here only briefly and on sober business.

"Personally I would have liked it if the people could have seen (Gonzalez), but he came under sad circumstances ... and that must be respected," said Reina Rojo, a 45-year-old office worker in the Cuban capital.

"I think it's good there has been no publicity," she added, "because you always have to think about the other four who are still in prison there."

By eschewing any fanfare now, Cuba avoids calling attention to the fact that Gross has made a similar request to visit his mother, who is seriously ill with cancer, in Texas. He, too, vows to return to Cuba.

Gross, 62, was sentenced under a statute on crimes against the state. He maintains that he never intended any harm and says he was just helping island Jews improve their Internet access, but Cuba contends the U.S. government program he was working on had subversive goals. His imprisonment has worsened the already bad relationship between Cold War rivals Havana and Washington, with U.S. officials saying no thaw can occur while he is behind bars.

Gonzalez's two-week window runs out Friday, and he has promised to return on schedule. He filed a detailed itinerary prior to the trip and has been checking in with his probation officer by phone, but there's nothing in the order barring him from appearing in public.

His Miami attorney, Philip Horowitz, said the nature of Gonzalez's visit did not lend itself to any politicking.

"The purpose of the trip is ... pure humanitarian," Horowitz said. "And when you have a gravely ill brother, a terminally ill brother, it's not cause for celebration or speaking out or advancing the cause."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/04/11/zero-fanfare-in-cuba-for-intel-agent-return/#ixzz1rnIy9CaO

Cartelito en Mayami y el ga'naton dome'tica'o

"...tiene un te'to en ingles..." dice la fela de la television cubana y yo e'pera'do a'bel quien le pasa la aplana'ora al cartelito y le sopla un ga'naton a max lesnick:

Cartel por los Cinco Espias Cubanos en una autopista del norte de California

Cartel por los Cinco Espias Cubanos en una autopista del norte de California

Leer en Cubadebate >>

Rene Gonzalez en Cuba y el daltonismo cerebral

a mi siempre me ha llamado la atencion como mucha gente se pierde la camara con el bombillito rojo encendido. esa, la que esta en el aire siguiendo la voluntad del punch-master. 

renecito esta cumpliendo formal pero estrictamente las condiciones de su viaje humanitario, en lo que no es mas que otra mision que le han ordenado. luego me aventuro a tirarme de barriga con que ahora mismo es un termometro de las relaciones punto 0-white house. 

la misma gente que no ve la lucecita roja [seran daltonicos cerebrales?] vocifero hasta la ronquera con la decision de la jueza y el hilito de voz remanente junto al disquito de no se quien por triturar, quedaron congelados ante la extrema discresion y la ausencia del no-entusiasta-millonario-recibimiento-popular-volveran!

otra onda kubishe auto-choteada:  estara muy cara la ropa por ahi que todavia nadie se la ha  rasgado como juraron delirando ante la cruz.

En Cuba el espia cubano Rene Gonzalez

Juez permite visita de espía Rene González a #Cuba

Uploaded by cubanews

Rene pa'labana, Alan Gross pa'layuma y to'o el mundo quieto en base. Luego Rene estara dispuesto a regresar al paraiso de su libertad condicional por 2 anos mas siempre que Alan previamente retorne a su encierro en Kubishilandia por 11-12 anos. Lista la pachanga kaxtrizta.

Colegio de abogados norteamericanos hace miembro de honor a hermano de espia cubano

Hijo de espia cubano preso: "no se trata de política, es algo sentimental "

Lawyer for Cuban spies vows last-ditch appeal

Boston.com/ By Paul Haven

Thomas Goldstein

HAVANA—A lawyer for five Cuban agents sentenced to long jail terms for spying in the United States said Wednesday he is preparing a last-ditch appeal, arguing that one of the men received bad counsel and that the jury for all five was prejudiced because the U.S. paid several journalists who covered the trial.

Thomas Goldstein said he would submit the appeal on Feb. 15 before U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard, who can either rule on the matter, ask to hear arguments or order a full evidentiary hearing. Four of the men have been jailed since 1998. The fifth, Rene Gonzalez, was released last year after 13 years in jail, but has been ordered to remain in the United States while he serves out his probation.

Gonzalez's lawyer, Phil Horowitz, said he would also appeal that probation decision shortly. He said the 55-year-old dual Cuban-American citizen is working as a caretaker at a private home, but would not reveal the location out of concern for his client's security.

The lawyers were interviewed by The Associated Press in a restricted area of Havana limited to government activities and hosting visiting foreign dignitaries.

While the agents' case is largely forgotten in the United States, it remains a cause celebre in Cuba, where the government hails the "Cuban Five" as heroes who were only trying to detect and prevent violent attacks against their country by exile groups. Cuban state-run media publish near daily accounts of solidarity from around the world, and images of the men stare down from billboards along rutted country roads.

Goldstein said he will argue that inadequate counsel from his lawyer resulted in a murder conviction and life sentence for one of the agents, Gerardo Hernandez, and he said all of their cases were prejudiced by a U.S. government program that was paying thousands of dollars to key journalists while the high-profile trial was going on, a fact that only came out later.

The journalists were paid for appearances on U.S. government radio and TV broadcasts beamed to Cuba, and they also continued to produce stories for independent media outlets.

Advocates for the five also say the trial court was wrong to reject their request for a change of venue from South Florida, which is home to a large Cuban exile community.

"I don't think anyone can deny that it is a serious issue when you try supposed Cuban agents in a Miami court ... and that it obviously is going to be a very political, very fraught trial," Goldstein said. "On top of that, to learn that the media is being paid by the U.S. government, we think raises a serious issue."

Goldstein, a Washington-based Supreme Court litigator, said he would take the case all the way to America's highest court if necessary, and that if the appeal fails, it will mean "the end of the road" for the legal process in the case. After that, he said, the only hope would be a political solution.  More >>

EEUU: intercambio de Gross por alguno de los agentes cubanos "no es posible"

WASHINGTON — Un intercambio entre el contratista estadounidense preso en Cuba, Alan Gross, por alguno de los cinco agentes cubanos condenados en Estados Unidos "no es posible", afirmó este miércoles a AFP un portavoz del Departamento de Estado norteamericano.

"Sus casos no son comparables y los cinco cubanos fueron condenados por una corte federal y están cumpliendo sus sentencias", dijo el portavoz para América Latina, William Ostick.

La cancillería cubana había manifestado el martes su disposición a encontrar "una solución humanitaria" para el caso de Gross, sentenciado a 15 años de cárcel en la isla, sobre una base "recíproca" con los cinco agentes cubanos que cumplen condenas en ese país.

"Un intercambio por alguno de los miembros del grupo de los cinco cubanos no es posible", dijo Ostick. Gross "no es un espía", subrayó.

Ya Washington había rechazado la posibilidad de un intercambio y la propia secretaria de Estado, Hillary Clinton, había negado que se estudiaran concesiones a La Habana a cambio de obtener la libertad del contratista de 62 años.

"Seguimos exigiendo al gobierno cubano la liberación de Alan Gross", dijo Ostick.

Gross, detenido en diciembre de 2009 en La Habana, fue condenado a 15 años de cárcel por "actos contra la independencia o la integridad territorial del Estado" por ingresar ilegalmente a la isla equipos sofisticados de telecomunicaciones y entregarlos a comunidades judías. Mas >>

Lo que siempre se supo: Castro pide solucion "humanitaria" para Gross y los 5 Espias

Fragmentos de  La Carta  al Washington Post de Juan Lamigueiro Leon, 2do Jefe [Mision] de la Seccion de Intereses de Cuba en Washington:

"El señor Gross violó las leyes cubanas y se involucró en actividades encubiertas para desestabilizar a Cuba. El gobierno de los Estados Unidos había contratado al señor Gross para implementar programas federales que atentaban contra el orden constitucional de Cuba. Esto es considerado illegal tanto en Cuba como en muchos otros países, incluidos los Estados Unidos.

Durante sus múltiples visitas a Cuba, el señor Gross nunca le comunicó a las personas que contactó que estaba trabajando bajo un contrato del gobierno estadounidense.

Es justo aclarar que el gobierno cubano le ha participado al gobierno estadounidemnse su volunta de encontrar una solución humanitaria al caso del señor Ala Gross bajo una base humanitaria recíproca.

La Sección de Intereses de Cuba nota que a los lectores se les desinforma cuando a los Cinco cubanos encarcelados en los Estados Unidos  por tratar de evitar ataques terroristas contra Cuba se les describen como “espías (…) que infiltraban instalaciones militares en el sur de la Florida”.

Los Cinco cubanos ya han soportado 13 dolorosos años en la cárcel, alejados de sus esposas, hijos y familiars. Ellos no infiltraron instalaciones militares estadounidenses. Ellos monitoreaban la actividad terrorista de los grupos extremistas radicados en Nueva Jersey y Florida, tratando anticipar sus futuras acciones terroristas y reunir evidencia sobre estos que pudieran ser utilizados para arrestar a aquellos terroristas que operaban desde territorio estadounidense".

Castro's proposal: One for Five

The Havana Note

In a meeting with Hispanic journalists on September 12^th, President Obama, referring to Bill Richardson’s trip to Cuba, said: 

"Anything to get Mr. Gross free we will support".

Israel has shown the US how to do it.

If it can exchange Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit for 1,027 Palestinians, including 315 serving life sentences, why is it so hard for the Obama Administration to release five Cuban intelligence operatives, one imprisoned for life, in return for USAID subcontracted operative Alan Gross?

President Obama can make the first humanitarian gesture by letting Cuban operative Rene Gonzales serve his probation in Cuba, under the supervision of the US Interests Section--if that is required.  President Castro can respond with a humanitarian gesture of giving probation to USAID subcontractor Alan Gross, under the supervision of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington.

Part of a bilateral negotiated arrangement should be the release of the remaining four imprisoned Cuban intelligence agents.

Cuba can respond in like manner, sending four prisoners to the US.  If there were any still held as prisoners of conscience, they deserve priority.  Otherwise the four can be persons convicted for politically motivated acts of violence, the new cause of the Ladies in White.  It is not too big a stretch as Cuba generally regards all anti-regime actions as being motivated if not funded by the US.

Cardinal Ortega could be asked to serve as the intermediary to assure both sides act in good faith.

Read more >

#Espionaje - Agente Ariel revela las operaciones de la Red Avispa en los EEUU

Cuba pide ayuda a Hillary Clinton y Michelle Obama por los Cinco Espias

ABC.es
La Federación de Mujeres Cubanas (FMC) ha pedido a la primera dama de EEUU, Michelle Obama, ya la secretaria de Estado, Hillary Clinton, que intercedan en el caso de los cinco agentes cubanos presos por espionaje en ese país desde 1998. ...Mas >

Cuban Five, Alan Gross and Tongue-Tied at State. Do you get it?

Capitol Hill Cubans
Basically, while there's an American hostage being held by the Castro regime, the U.S. is discussing new airports with the Cuban hostage-takers.

That's just scandalous.

From Friday's Daily Press Briefing with State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland:

QUESTION: Okay. So at the risk of repeating the rather unpleasant exchange up on the Hill this morning between Under Secretary Sherman and a member of Congress, what can you tell us about the proposed swap for Alan Gross?

MS. NULAND: First of all, we remain very concerned about the welfare of Alan Gross. We have, and we will continue to use, every available diplomatic channel to press for his immediate release, and we continue to call on the Cuban Government to release him.

I’m not going to comment on our private exchanges with the Cubans. We have talked to them about this issue. But I will certainly say unequivocally that the U.S. is not considering the release of any member of the Cuban Five in exchange for Alan Gross. Alan Gross is not a spy, and he – it is simply not comparable with the crimes of the Cuban Five in any way.

QUESTION: Sorry, just --

QUESTION: What’s not comparable? What he did, or what he’s accused of doing?

MS. NULAND: Exactly.

QUESTION: Just because I was at the White House when a former president said it depends on what the meaning of “is” is – you said the U.S. Government is not considering. Has the U.S Government previously considered releasing a member of the Cuban Five in exchange for Alan Gross, even if it is not currently doing so?

MS. NULAND: To my knowledge, no.

QUESTION: Did you check?

MS. NULAND: Yes.

QUESTION: You did check, and so the answer is no?

MS. NULAND: Correct.

QUESTION: Okay. And when you said that you have talked to the Cubans about this --

MS. NULAND: We have talked to them about Alan Gross’s situation and the importance of releasing him. We also talked to them, as you know, about other matters of mutual concern --

QUESTION: Well, recently?

MS. NULAND: -- including we’ve had recent conversations about their opening of new airports and TSA standards and all those kinds of things.

QUESTION: So --

QUESTION: Sorry, go ahead.

QUESTION: Well, I’m just curious. I mean, Under Secretary Sherman this morning said that there had been a very recent meeting between the United – quite recent – between the U.S. and Cuba on the Gross matter. Can you shed any light on that, when it – might’ve – but she was unable to say when. Who met whom, when, where?

MS. NULAND: Again, I think I’m not going to get into the details of exactly who met whom, when. I will say that it was within the last month.

QUESTION: And has the U.S. Government considered releasing other Cuban nationals, not those of the so-called Cuban Five, in exchange for Mr. Gross?

MS. NULAND: To my knowledge, no.

QUESTION: But did you – again, forgive me for asking this, but I – there are times when you have asked and, no, and there are times when you haven’t asked. Did you ask that question, or were --

MS. NULAND: I did ask that question.

QUESTION: And you were told no?

MS. NULAND: As I said, to my knowledge, no. And what I’ve said here about our considering release of the Cuban Five also --

QUESTION: Here’s my problem, though. If you asked the question and you were told, “I can’t tell you that,” you’re knowledge is imperfect, but the answer is not “no.”

MS. NULAND: I understand, Arshad, and I would also say that Under Secretary Sherman endeavored to give more information to our colleagues on the Hill. I think she will be giving more information to our colleagues on the Hill over the next 24 to 36 hours. So if anything emerges as that – those responses are prepared, I will also have it for you here. Okay?

QUESTION: Okay. But my – just so you understand, my problem is that I could not, in a story today, cite you as denying that the U.S. Government may have offered the release of someone other than those five for Mr. Gross, based on your statement not to your knowledge and your response to my follow-up that you asked and I said, well, did – were you told “no,” and you didn’t answer that. So you haven’t denied the possibility that you may have offered to swap somebody else despite repeated opportunities to do so.

MS. NULAND: Let’s start this again. We believe that Alan Gross should be released. We’ve made that point to the Cubans. We’ve also made clear that we are not considering the release of any member of the Cuban Five. I am not aware of any other proposed prisoner swaps. We want the guy out of jail.

QUESTION: The – just another “is” – what the meaning of the word “is” is question, and that is you are not considering the release of any member of the Cuban Five for this, but if a Cuban Five member, say, was released from prison and was sentenced to three years of probation, say, that had to be served in the United States, technically he is not being – would you – he is not being released. But are you saying that a suggestion that that person might be allowed to serve his probation in Cuba instead of in Florida or instead of in the United States, that also is ruled out? That also is not being considered, or was not considered?

MS. NULAND: Again, you’re getting me into all kinds of hypotheticals and if X, then Y.

QUESTION: Well, the story that’s out today is pretty specific, that this guy – I believe his name was Gonzalez – right? – he got out of – served his time, got out and was put on probation. And the story says that the U.S. suggestion was that instead – that you would push for the courts – that the U.S. Government would push before the courts in Florida to allow him to serve his probation time in Cuba instead of in the United States. Okay? So that’s not technically a release, but it is a swap of some kind or at least an offer to. You’re saying that that is not true either?

MS. NULAND: I’m not prepared to go beyond what I’ve said here and also to just reiterate that we have had discussions with the Cuban Government about this case and the importance of releasing him but we need for purposes of diplomatic confidentiality to not go any further here. But we are very firm in reaffirming that we were not looking at the release of any of the Cuban --

QUESTION: You’re talking about the release from –actual release from prison. Is that --

MS. NULAND: Correct.

QUESTION: Okay, so that does not apply to a release from probation?

MS. NULAND: Again, I’m not prepared to speak any further about our private diplomatic exchanges with the Cubans except to say that we believe that the guy needs to get out of jail and we want to see that happen.

QUESTION: Okay. Well that is understood. We know that you want Alan Gross out. The question is what you’re prepared to do to – what, if anything, are you prepared to do sweeten the deal or to make a deal with the Cubans for getting that release. And so the question about when you did not – when you say that there – you’re not considering releasing any member of the Cuban Five, does that specifically – that release – does that mean release actual from – from actual incarceration or – and that’s it? Or does it also include a release from some kind of enforced probationary period?

MS. NULAND: Matt, we have parsed this as far as we’re going to parse it today. And I’m at the end of what I have to say on this issue.

QUESTION: I want to follow-up because I believe it’s important. When you say we have not considered the release of any of the Cuban Five –

MS. NULAND: Correct.

QUESTION: -- that statement, to my mind, implies that none of those five individuals, including Mr. Gonzalez, who is cited in the AP story, might be traded for – or if there was any consideration given to trading that person for Mr. Gross. The problem is – and I think it’s an important issue, so I’m not just doing this for grandstanding – you have not, however, made clear that Mr. Gonzalez – that the possibility of Mr. Gonzalez’s being swapped fits into your denial. And the problem with that is, it’s a very disingenuous denial if in fact you are or did consider the possibility of allowing Mr. Gonzalez to serve out his term elsewhere in exchange for the release of Mr. Gross. So I don’t – I want to make very clear my intent is to give you every opportunity, whether now or later if you have to, but to be perfectly forthright in the meaning of your denial. Because to deny something in a way that leaves open the possibility that, in fact, you were considering trading this guy who is out of prison now for somebody else, is, I think, wrong. I just don’t think it’s right to do that from the podium, so I want to make very clear why Matt is pushing this, and why I’m pushing it. I would like to believe that denials of that sort are intended to be not disingenuous but straightforward. And I hope it will be possible for you to clarify whether that denial does indeed apply to the possibility of a swap for Mr. Gonzalez.

MS. NULAND: Well, Arshad, I appreciate the opportunity you are offering me here and I hope you will appreciate that I am not in a position to go further than I’ve gone today on our private diplomatic exchanges with the Cubans.

EEUU ofreció a Cuba intercambio de presos

Univisión
Estados Unidos ofreció dejar volver a casa a un espía cubano sentenciado a cambio de la liberación de un estadounidense preso en la isla, pero Cuba rechazó la oferta, dijeron funcionarios estadounidenses.

Estados Unidos también manifestó su disposición a evaluar otras quejas cubanas luego que La Habana dejara en libertad al contratista Alan Gross, de acuerdo con funcionarios.

Los funcionarios hablaron bajo la condición de anonimato debido a la delicadeza del tema.

Cuba rechazó la oferta al señalar que el cubano René González ya había cumplido con la mayor parte de su sentencia. Quería los perdones para al menos alguno de los otros cuatro cubanos sentenciados junto con González. Las autoridades estadounidenses dijeron que ellos no considerarían perdones.

El arresto de Gross en 2009, originario de Maryland, ha agravado las relaciones entre ambos países mientras el gobierno de Obama efectúa analiza acciones para aliviar décadas de tensión.

Gross fue arrestado al tratar de introducir a la isla equipo de comunicación prohibido mientras participaba en un programa de democracia financiado por la Agencia de Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional. En marzo fue sentenciado a 15 años por crímenes contra el Estado.

Estados Unidos dice que Gross sólo estaba tratando de ayudar a que una comunidad judía de Cuba se comunicara con el resto del mundo y no debió haber enfrentado una acción penal.

El gobierno cubano ha estado molesto durante mucho tiempo por el destino de González y otros cuatro cubanos, conocidos como la "Red Avispa", que fueron sentenciados en 2001 por espiar instalaciones militares en el sur de Florida.

Las autoridades cubanas dicen que los cinco estaban tratando de prevenir ataques terroristas a la isla vigilando a exiliados cubanos.

González fue liberado este mes después de 13 años en prisión, pero un juez le ordenó tres años más en libertad condicional en territorio estadounidense antes de regresar a Cuba.

Estados Unidos ofreció presionar una corte federal en Miami para permitir a González terminar la sentencia en Cuba a cambio de la liberación de Gross. Bajo la propuesta estadounidense, González, con nacionalidad estadounidense y cubana, habría renunciado a sus vínculos con Estados Unidos.