Welcome home bambi

By Ricardo Alarcon, former Cuban ambassador before the UN and know president of the Poder Popular (Cuban Parliament) 

Bambi is the nickname of Cuban-American terrorist *Posada Carriles

It has been over a month since he entered Miami without a visa or legal documents, making an announcement through his lawyer of his intention of residing in that city; no doubt to continue his criminal activities.  He asked for political asylum in the US filling out the corresponding documents attaching the needed photos and signing it.  He made it clear that in the opportune time he would visit the INS and talk to reporters.   

Meanwhile he enjoys himself, meeting with his reactionary enclave, reading the news, listening to the local radio stations and watching the television stations; all of which refer to the numerous dark deeds he has done.

There also other news.  News of how in the weeks that have gone by since his return the US has spent tens of millions of dollars in stopping illegal immigration.

A great number of FBI and immigration agents have raided homes and businesses in their incessant hunt of undocumented aliens.  Thousands of immigrants have been jailed or sent back to their country of origin. 

On April 20 Posada and all in Miami were able to see on a Miami television station Santiago Alvarez, a friend o Carriles for over 40 years, the son of a long time friend and Batista follower, brag about how he was the one who got him out of Panama and brought him to Miami - after Carriles was shamelessly freed.  It was the same Santiago Alvarez - by his own words - whose voice was heard on Cuban television giving orders to paid mercenaries to blow up the cabaret Tropicana with C-4 explosives, not caring how many tourists performers and workers would be injured and killed.  In the same television program he affirmed that Posada Carriles was in US territory and that Carriles was in his beloved Miami.  He went on to explain how Carriles since his departure from Panama to his landing in Miami had been free to roam around; adding that he would present himself to federal authorities and the press when the time was convenient. 

While this was going on, another station was reporting how 77 Mexicans were found dead as they tried to cross the Arizona desert - this was near the place where earlier 232 cadavers had been found.  Also at that time CNN was reporting -as they devoted half of the daily program - to illegal immigration.  According to CNN last year 20 thousand asylum requests were rejected by the US.  Oddly enough CNN has never interviewed Carriles.

Carriles' case is different.  He never had to cross the Rio Bravo or cross the Arizona desert.  He always liked Miami.  While the 20 thousand  were hunted down and captured by Federal agents, he was never approached.  He has no complaints.  Those 20 thousand who nobody knows who they are, who have never appeared on television, have nobody to defend them.  Carriles is different for he has a lawyer and those who protect him;  nobody has ever bothered him or his friends; this although they speak to the press everyday.  

There is a more important difference between Carriles and the 20 thousand.  There is no evidence that they ever blew up a passenger plane; they were never running  from justice, as Carriles had done as he escaped a Venezuelan prison as he was serving a sentence for the downing of a Cuban airliner.  None of the 20 thousand came out of jail to work for the White House and the State Department as Carriles had done when he was involved in the covert and illegal operation known later as the Iran - Contra scandal; none of the 20 thousand have ever been involved in the the torturing and execution of leftists from Venezuela and Central American countries; none of the 20 thousand ever committed terrorist acts against Cuba - terrorist acts that have caused deep wounds within Cuban society;  none of the 20 thousand have ever acknowledged publicly their terrorist activities as did Carriles in an interview with the New York Times and later in a television interview.  None of them ever organized an assassination of Cuban president Fidel Castro, an attempt which was to be carried out in the University of Panama and which would have cost the lives of hundreds of students;  none of them were trained in the School of the Americas, trained to be experts in sabotage and the use of explosives;  none of them was a CIA officer; none of them has ever had working relation with the White House and US special forces.  These 20 thousand have nothing in common with Posada Carriles.

Eduardo Soto, Carriles lawyer, said it the best when he asserted that Carriles for more than four decades had performed many important services for the US; services that merits that he be given political asylum and residency in the US.  This is not all for Soto declared that Carriles case will have priority and that he will not have to wait the accustomed time for his request.  

On the other hand tens of thousands are in jail while Carriles is free in Miami to do as he pleases.

For millions of immigrants who escape from poverty and misery, who see the US a place to attain a better life, view that country as an inhospitable place.  Many of them are now being hunted down, are shot at, are abused, are deported everyday without consideration; are returned to the hopelessness and abandon of their native country.  There are also, those unaccounted for, those who have never been found, who lost the most important thing: their lives; there are those who are being devoured by the deserts; never to be heard from again.  There are thousands who languish in a prison system which is characterized as being cruel and racist. 

Posada Carriles is a fortunate man for he doesn't have to endure any of this.  He has returned home.  As the New York Times said, "...he never has had any problems in entering the US".  No problem.  Welcome home     

Translated from: Cubadebate

* Posada Carriles is a Cuban-American who is a former US CIA agent who is responsible for numerous terrorist acts against Cuba, the most horrific act being the planning and execution of the blowing up of the Cuban airliner of Cubana de Aviacion, in 1976.  In this terrorist act 73 innocent people lost their lives.  Recently, Carriles was pardoned by then president of Panama Mireya Moscoso, as he was being tried for attempting to dynamite an auditorium in the University of Panama .  Mireya Moscoso who now lives in Miami, is being investigated for fraud in Panama.