A militant Cuban exile applied Tuesday for political asylum in the United States despite being accused of blowing up a Cuban airliner and trying to assassinate Fidel Castro.
After years of hiding in various Central American and Caribbean countries, Luis Posada Carriles, a former sugar chemist and CIA operative, quietly entered the United States in recent weeks and is seeking asylum because he fears being killed by Cuban government agents.
“If he is removed from the U.S., Mr. Posada Carriles’ life will be taken away from him,” said Eduardo Soto, Posada’s attorney. “He [Fidel Castro] will do everything he can to make sure that he is no longer on the face of this Earth.”
Santiago Alvarez, a Miami developer and close friend of Posada’s, said he has been in contact with the 77-year-old militant, who wanted to live near his son, daughter and three grandchildren in the Miami area.
Alvarez described Posada as a freedom fighter who has dedicated his life to trying to end Castro’s “tyranny.” Posada has denied any involvement in terrorist activities.
“He is accused of terrorism, but it has not been proven,” Alvarez said. “He is a Cuban patriot and he has done a lot to advance the interests of the United States and democracy.”
But Cuban authorities say Posada is responsible for the bombing of a Cuban jetliner in 1976. All 73 passengers were killed.
They also accuse Posada of masterminding a series of bombings at Havana hotels and restaurants in 1997 that killed an Italian tourist, and of plotting to assassinate Castro while the Cuban president attended a summit in Panama in 2000.
A Panamanian court eventually dropped the most serious charges, but Posada and three accomplices were convicted of lesser counts in April 2004 and sentenced to up to 8 years in prison. Four months later, then-Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso pardoned the four men.
The pardons and Posada’s asylum request have infuriated Castro, who went on state television Monday night to denounce U.S. officials for allegedly arranging Posada’s pardon and for protecting him. Castro demanded an explanation from President Bush of why Posada is in the U.S.
“That monster has been living there for 19 days,” Castro said.
Nina Pruneda, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami, said Posada is not in U.S. custody but declined further comment.
Alvarez said U.S. authorities had nothing to do with Posada’s pardon and have no idea where Posada is hiding.
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“He’s got a lot of friends,” Alvarez said. “We all help.”
Experts say Posada’s asylum application is a potential embarrassment for Bush, who has taken a hard line against Castro but has staked his presidency on fighting global terrorism.
“If we actually give the guy asylum, what does it say about our sincerity on the war on terrorism?” said Wayne Smith, a former top U.S. diplomat in Cuba. “Bush said that anyone who shelters a terrorist is a terrorist.”
Smith said he expects U.S. officials to finesse Posada’s request so Posada can remain in the United States without receiving political asylum.
Bill Strassberger, a spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said asylum applicants are allowed to stay in the U.S. while their cases are being adjudicated. He said the process could take months or years.
Born in the coastal city of Cienfuegos, Posada turned against Castro shortly after the 1959 revolution, fled into exile and joined the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion force.
Over the years he worked for the CIA and Venezuelan intelligence. He survived a 1989 assassination attempt in Guatemala and has been hiding out in Central America and the Caribbean, Alvarez said.
Though he faces no charges in the United States, Posada remains wanted in Venezuela in connection with the 1976 downing of the passenger jet, which originated in Caracas.
Posada was jailed for 10 years for the crime but never convicted. He escaped from a Venezuelan prison while the case was being reviewed by an appeals court.
Alvarez said Posada would continue fighting Castro even if his asylum petition is granted.
“He is not going to relax,” Alvarez said. “He is still going to continue doing what he can to topple the tyranny in Cuba.”
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