Hijacking trial for six men opens in Cuban courtroom

Hijacking trial for six men opens in Cuban courtroom
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/cuba/6511733.htm

Six men charged in last month's hijacking of a government-owned boat after their repatriation by the U.S. Coast Guard went on trial Monday in the central-eastern provincial capital of Camagüey, authorities here confirmed.

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U.S. officials said the Cubans were deemed ineligible for amnesty because they had committed acts of violence in Cuba as well as against U.S. Coast Guard personnel who boarded the 36-foot boat.

Six of the 12 were released. The other six are being tried on two charges.. one for the violent hijacking, the other is for parole violation (as part of a prior criminal sentence for a past violent crime in Cuba).

As the article points out, the Cubans with past criminal records are ineligible for a legal US immigration visa, and ineligible for amnesty after being taken aboard the US Coast Guard cutter.

But, if these six had made it to US shores their criminal past that would otherwise have prevented them from entering the US legally is rendered moot by the US's Cuban Adjustment Act - which allows all Cubans, even violent & hardened Cuban criminals, to be paroled onto the streets of Miami within 24 hours.

Nice huh?

snippet:
Two Republican state legislators who signed a letter to President Bush urging him to get tougher on Cuba or face a loss of Cuban American political support said they received phone calls from Bush staffers Monday indicating an eventual positive response.

State Rep. Marco Rubio, another of the signers, said he also got a call early Monday morning from a White House staffer whom he wouldn't identify.

'They said, `You can be sure the right people, the decision makers, are going to know about this today,' '' Rubio said.

However, White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo said Monday afternoon that the letter had not yet arrived.

The letter, sent Monday, urges the president to make key changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba or face an erosion of support from Cuban Americans, who have traditionally been one of the Republican party's core constituencies. It asks Bush to revise U.S.-Cuba immigration policy; indict Fidel Castro for murder; beef up TV Marti, and increase aid to dissidents on the island.
more.....

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6511736.htm

Here is the text of 'The Letter'

This is a letter sent Monday to President Bush by several state Republican representatives from South Florida regarding U.S. policy on Cuba.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/6510536.htm

in pdf format. From one terrorist organization to another.

Dear President Bush:

It is with deep regret that we write this open letter to
President Bush to express our disappointment with the
administration's present Cuba policy:

We write as your friends to ensure a successful Cuba policy,
Mr. Bush.

When you were a candidate for president and again in Miami
in May 2002, we heard words from you that gave us great
expectations that Cuba policy would soon lead to a free and
democratic Cuba. Unfortunately, the administration's Cuba
policy has not been significantly different than that of the
prior administration.

Today, we are no nearer to a free Cuba. The
wet-foot/dry-foot policy is still in effect. Recently, the
administration returned 12 Cubans to a dictator who denies
basic due process of law and, moreover, a priori negotiated
with the dictator their prison sentences. Radio and TV Martí
still do not reach the Cuban people in a meaningful way.
Castro has not yet been indicted for the murder of the four
Brothers to the Rescue pilots, three of them U.S. citizens
and all four Florida residents.

The dissident movement in Cuba has not received the promised
assistance from the U.S. government. They fight bravely, but
alone and in impoverished conditions.

Mr. President, we need a Cuba policy that respects the human
rights of the Cuban people and leads to a free Cuba. Please
understand that we have a high personal regard for you and
for your outstanding leadership of this great nation. Cuban
Americans have been responsible, engaged citizens and have
strongly supported you.

Notwithstanding, it is our responsibility to advance the
cause of a free Cuba and, therefore, respectfully request
the enactment of an effective Cuba policy that will bring an
end to the suffering of the Cuban people.

We know that one day soon, with your help, Cuba will return
to what it used to be, a free and independent nation and a
strong friend and ally of the United States of America.

God bless you and your family.

Members of the

Cuban American
National Foundation

http://www.canf.org/letter.pdf

Do Americans have the FREEDOM to travel to a small Caribbean island called Cuba, 90 miles from Key West!! We would if the Cubano-gusanos in Miami weren't constantly lobbying congress to keep the travel ban and embargo intact.

What is needed is for at least 1000 (preferably more) Americans to hit the shores of Cuba at one time. We need our own version of the Boston Tea Party! We need to take back our FREEDOM!!!!

Where is the outrage from Americans?? Where is the outrage from the US media??

Bring in undocumented thieves and let them stay (from a country the State Dept puts on a "terrorist nations" list), and keep famous musicians away because the State Dept doesn't have time to process their visas!!!

here for pre-Olympic event for the Special Olympics in Oklahoma. The state department gave the disabled athletes visas but denied them to their trainers. A note from Granma points out that it had to be clear to the US Interests Section people who interviewed the disabled weight-lifters that they could not travel on their own. HYPOCRISY abounds in the USSA.

Say_What, that story just makes me sick. Unbelievable! :puke:

for some reason didn't make the Ingles page. I saw it on the CubaNews board.

Yup. Our free and democratic government at work with our tax dollars speading good will around the globe. <sarcasm off>

Cuba has come so far with so few resources.

It's small, it's petty, it's shabby. This tacky maneuvering to shame, to harm, to harrass Cuba is something intelligent
people would never consider.

Guess George Bush is our clearest proof that wealth can't buy you character.