Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez, a 62-year-old former Cuban judge, was sent back to Cuba this Saturday after U.S. authorities accused her of concealing her active membership in the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) upon entering the country. Less than a year and a half ago, she had been celebrated on Cuban national television for her "loyalty to the revolution." The ex-official confirmed her deportation in a phone call with journalist Mario J. Pentón from Havana.
"I'm at home with my partner. I'm fine. I arrived in Cuba today. I think I had an experience. Having experiences is a good thing. I lived, at least—in the conditions that were there, but I lived—21 days in the United States. I didn't know it before. It's something I got to know," she recounted during the conversation.
In response to the U.S. government's allegations, Acanda remarked, "Men make mistakes," describing herself as a humble woman. "Life goes on. We all make mistakes. We all have the right to make mistakes."
The arrest of Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez was made public on March 20, after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents intercepted her at Miami International Airport. She had arrived with an immigrant visa, secured through a petition by her U.S. citizen son, according to Mario J. Pentón.
A CBP statement alleged that the former judge had lied during the visa process, omitting crucial information about her professional past and ideological affiliations. The agency confirmed that Acanda admitted to providing false statements to take advantage of the U.S. immigration process. "She had direct ties with the Cuban government and identified as a PCC member," noted an official familiar with the case, who spoke anonymously due to the ongoing investigation.
Authorities indicated that she was undergoing deportation procedures and faced potential federal prosecution. A significant number of ex-officials and regime enforcers have entered the U.S. through visa programs, family reunification, or humanitarian avenues.
Among the most notable are Eduardo Enríquez Blanco, a former Ministry of the Interior (MININT) agent linked to the state intelligence tech company DATYS, now residing in Miami. Also, Rosabel Roca Sampedro, a former prosecutor in Camagüey, currently in Houston, Texas; Liván Fuentes Álvarez, former president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power in the Isle of Youth, who was denied entry; and Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, former first secretary of the PCC in Cienfuegos and Fidel Castro collaborator, who arrived in Miami in August 2024, as Pentón recalled.
Key Questions About Cuban Officials in the U.S.
Why was Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez deported from the U.S.?
She was deported because she allegedly concealed her active membership in the Communist Party of Cuba when entering the United States.
What visa did Juana Orquídea Acanda Rodríguez use to enter the U.S.?
She entered the U.S. with an immigrant visa obtained through a petition by her son, a U.S. citizen.
Who are other notable Cuban ex-officials residing in the U.S.?
Notable individuals include Eduardo Enríquez Blanco, Rosabel Roca Sampedro, Liván Fuentes Álvarez, and Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, among others.