The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) has identified a thousand Cuban human rights violators, with 117 reportedly entering the United States in the past year (since February 2023). "Many of them have lied," stated Tony Costa, the NGO's director, in an interview with Martí Noticias.
With these figures, the foundation estimates that the number of human rights violators from the island entering the U.S. has increased fivefold. Initially, only around twenty such violators were documented, but this number has now surged to 117. This surge is attributed to an unprecedented wave of migration.
Mass Migration and Border Control
Rolando Cartaya, one of the investigators involved in compiling the list of Cuban human rights violators, noted the increase in violators arriving through the southern U.S. border after a mass exodus via Nicaragua. "More than half a million Cubans have come to the U.S. through various programs like the humanitarian parole," he added. The list of violators is available on the FHRC's website.
Carlos Giménez, a Florida congressman, explained that this issue is not exclusive to Cuban violators. Collaborators from the regimes of Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua have also entered the U.S. by evading controls. Giménez and other Republican congressmen have written to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to alert them of this fraud. "If they fought so hard for the Cuban, Venezuelan, or Nicaraguan regimes, they should stay in their countries," Giménez asserted.
Notable Cases of Human Rights Violators
Among the violators who have bypassed border controls is prosecutor Rosabel Roca Sampedro, who sought prison terms for July 11 protesters in Cuba; Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, a former Communist Party secretary in Cienfuegos, who attempted to enter Miami under family reunification; and judge Melody González Pedraza, currently detained and awaiting a political asylum hearing in the U.S. González sentenced four young people for protesting in Cuba and has a controversial history as a judge in a small town in Villa Clara.
Menéndez Castellanos tried to go unnoticed by arriving in Miami in a wheelchair, wearing a mask, glasses, and a hat. However, he was recognized and revealed to have a long history with the Cuban regime, starting his career with the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC) in 1972 and later serving as the first secretary of the Communist Party in Cienfuegos from 1993 to 2003.
Congressman Carlos Giménez has indicated that both Menéndez Castellanos and Roca Sampedro will be deported to Cuba. Until that happens, victims have to coexist with their violators. Journalist Roberto Quiñones Haces, now a refugee in the U.S., has encountered two of the individuals who imprisoned him in Cuba.
"If people want to take this to court, they can submit a sworn statement before a notary, send it to us (FHRC), and we will forward it to the FBI and DHS," said Cartaya. Several official investigations have already been conducted on the accused individuals.
In statements to Telemundo 51, Cuban attorney Santiago Alpízar, a collaborator in these investigations, highlighted that "the U.S. government has all the resources. What’s lacking is the administrative or political will to enforce the law."
Carlos Giménez's Commitment
Cuban-American legislator Carlos Giménez has pledged to identify Cuban human rights violators living in the U.S. "If you are a Castro regime violator living in the U.S., we will identify you and send you back to Cuba for committing immigration fraud. It is unacceptable that the Biden-Harris administration accommodates regime agents who murder our people," the Republican stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Giménez committed to delivering the list of individuals identified by the FHRC to the responsible agencies. Furthermore, he promised to seek testimony from the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, before a congressional committee to explain how these individuals managed to enter the U.S., alleging a possible "massive fraud."
Giménez participated in a press conference in Miami hosted by the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, where it was revealed that at least 117 alleged regime violators have emigrated to the U.S. since February 2023.
Questions and Answers About Cuban Human Rights Violators in the U.S.
In light of recent revelations about Cuban human rights violators entering the United States, many people have questions about the situation. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
How many Cuban human rights violators have entered the U.S. recently?
According to the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, 117 Cuban human rights violators have entered the U.S. since February 2023.
What measures are being taken to address this issue?
Congressman Carlos Giménez and other officials have alerted the Department of Homeland Security and are working to deport identified violators. They also seek to hold hearings to investigate how these individuals were able to enter the country.
Who are some of the notable violators identified?
Notable violators include prosecutor Rosabel Roca Sampedro, former Communist Party secretary Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, and judge Melody González Pedraza.