Dr Gross in Cuba

Dear President Obama: Why won’t you say something about Dr Gross in Cuba?

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My new American Thinker post about Dr Gross in Cuba is here:

“We’ve been following the incredible story of a US citizen sitting in a Cuban jail for no reason at all.

We are not suggesting that the US invade Cuba and rescue Dr Gross but a little anger from President Obama may persuade the Castro regime that we don’t like what they are doing.

We certainly should not be talking at all with the Cuban regime or shaking Raul Castro’s hand at a funeral.

This week, we learned that Dr Gross has opted for a “hunger strike” to get some attention from that fellow in  the Oval Office who keeps going from one fundraiser to another…..”

Please check it out:

“Dr Gross is being held on bogus grounds.  The Cuban government is hoping that the Obama administration will crack and “swap” Cuban spies for a decent man who is not a spy.  And let’s not forget that Dr Gross is 63 and in frail health!

It would be nice if President Obama would say something loudly about this case, such as we are canceling remittances and flights to Cuba until Dr Gross is released.  It would be even better if President Obama or VP Biden would go to the OAS and speak bluntly about this atrocity.

Again, no one is calling for US Marines to liberate Dr Gross but a little anger would show that President Obama has something else in his mind but fundraisers and peddling untruths about “equal pay for women.””

 

“Palm trees in the snow” with Gloria Strassburger & Dr Gross in Cuba with Fausta Wertz

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Fausta Wertz, editor of Fausta’s Blog.  We will look at the major stories of the week, from Dr Gross on a “hunger strike” in Cuba, to President Correa in the US, to the continuing violence in Venezuela, the upcoming World Cup in Brazil and other front page stories in Latin America newspapers.

We will also hear from Gloria M. Strassburger, the author of “Palm trees in the snow”, a book about her Cuban American experience.

Gloria’s book is the latest Cuban American story.  Gloria is a “Pedro Pan” and relates her family’s story and impact of the communist takeover of the island.

 

“Cuba’s American Hostage”, a new post from Fausta Wertz!

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Let me say “muy bien” to Fausta Wertz, the editor of Fausta’s Blog, for her coverage of Dr Gross in Cuba.

This is her latest op-ed and it is good:

In June, 2001, Cuban spies Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, and René González (known as the Cuban Five or the Miami Five) were convicted of 26 federal charges, including conspiracy to commit espionage, conspiracy to commit murder, and acting as agents of a foreign government. The Communist regime acknowledges that the men are intelligence agents, but were spying on the Cuban exile community and not the U.S. government. Over the years, they have filed appeals and have become fixtures of the Cuban propaganda machine. René González was released on October 7, 2011, and Fernando González was released on February 27, 2014.

Hernández, Guerrero and Labañino are still serving their life sentences, and the Cuban government continues to push for their release. Some 130 celebrities have asked for their release.

In December 2009, Alan P. Gross was arrested while in Cuba working as a U.S. government subcontractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for bringing satellite phones and computer equipment to members of Cuba’s small Jewish community. He was held in jail, and, in March, 2011 was convicted for “acts against the independence or the territorial integrity of the state”.

What does “acts against the independence or the territorial integrity of the state” means? It means that, in Cuba, attempting to provide access to the internet is a crime.

Here’s a list of questions explaining his descent into hell.

Jimmy Carter met with Gross in 2011, Jesse Jackson was denied access in 2013.

Last year Mary O’Grady of the Wall Street Journal spelled out Gross’ situation: Cuba Admits Gross Is a Pawn

In other words, Mr. Gross is a negotiating chip. Ms. Vidal would not say what Cuba wants in exchange for letting him go, but the release of several Cuban intelligence officers convicted in 2001 of spying on the U.S. is likely on the list.

The U.S. government has clearly stated that it will not swap the 3 spies for Gross. The USAID office apparently has made no effort towards Gross’ release.

Gross, 63, has lost over 100lbs and has a large lump growing on his back, which under the “excellent free healthcare” Cubans endure are considered “chronic illnesses that are typical of his age.”

His situation is desperate: yesterday USA Today reported that Gross has started a hunger strike.