Letter of march to Obama.

Mr President Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.

Washington DC 20500

Mr President,

Last January 29th, José Antonio Llama, alias « Toñin », died. He was a terrorist who was quite a bit in the news in 2006. This ex-leader of the CANF (Cuban American National Foundation) explained in minute detail how he created, in 1992, within this group, a paramilitary unit destined for planning terrorist attacks against Cuba (El Nuevo Herald, june 22nd 2006). Two months later, he did it again on télévision.

José Antonio Llama had personally advanced the CANF the tidy sum of $1,471,840.35 to pay for the expenses associated with these terrorist attacks. For this, he created a dummy company called Nautical Sports Inc. and took out a loan from the International Financial Bank. Thanks to this loan, the paramilitary team soon had at their disposal a helicopter, seven powerful, rapid small boats, explosives and ten miniature radio-guided airplanes to be used against Cuban economic objectives or for a terrorist attack against President Fidel Castro. José Antonio Llama was never reimbursed for this sum, and when he was accused along with his associates for “la Esperanza” plot, the CANF, moreover, refused to take the lawyer’s fees in charge. This is the reason that motivated Llama, who was on the brink of bankruptcy, to distance himself from this organization, and to make such a confession concerning his terrorist activities.

The five Cubans, Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, Ramón Labañino, and René González, who were arrested in Miami in 1998, and who are still not liberated, had been sent by their government to Florida precisely to thwart terrorist attacks such as those fomented by the CANF against their country. In 1999, José Antonio Llama had confirmed the legitimacy of the Cuban Five’s mission, without his testimony having aroused the slightest reaction.

The story of José Antonio Llama concerning the “Esperanza” plot is the 44th textbook case illustrating the double standards of the justice system. So let’s go back to this story.

The CANF had hatched an assassination project against President Fidel Castro. It was to have taken place during the Iberia-American Summit that took place on the Venezuelan island of Margarita. This attempted assassination failed because José Antonio Llama’s yacht, the “Esperenza”, transporting the commando squad and the materials designed to kill this high-level state official, had been stopped and inspected in Porto Rican waters by the United States Coast Guard while they were heading for the island of Margarita. Needless to say, the full-scale arsenal found on board was not that of some peaceful fishers, and the “crewmen” were arrested. One of the 50-caliber rifles found on board belonged to the head of the CANF, José Francisco “Pepe” Hernández, who was not even questioned, being protected by his relations with the CIA.

The yacht’s owner, Antonio Llama, was then tried before the Porto Rican Court at San Juan, along with the members of the commando squad. Their lawyers had tried to have the case transferred to Miami. This demand was refused because the Miami Court was not considered impartial enough to judge affairs concerning Cuba.

Several months later, the Cuban Five’s lawyers had demanded that their case be tried before another court than that of Miami. This demand had been refused, this time, under the pretext that the Miami court was perfectly impartial for judging affairs concerning Cuba! Yeah right, Mr President!

José Antonio Llama and the members of the commando squad were acquitted in 1999, “for lack of proof”, by an indulgent jury. During this court case, the testimony of a corrupted FBI officer, Hector Pesquera, had something to do with this acquittal.
By the way, Hector Pesquera was amply rewarded by being named Chief of the South Florida FBI. It was him who, on September 12th 1998, fifteen days after this nomination, had the five Cubans arrested.

As for the five Cubans, they had handed down to them heavy sentences and one of them, Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, is still under the shock of two life sentences plus fifteen years!

Mr President, you have the opportunity to be able to make right such a great wrong. A humanitarian exchange between the Cuban Five and Alan Gross would contribute to a bettering of relations between your two countries that everyone is waiting for. Additionally, Mr. Gross would feel a little less abandoned by your government that sent him into this business.

Please receive, Mr President, the expression of my most sincere humanitarian sentiments.

Jacqueline Roussie

Translated by William Peterson.

Copies sent to: Mrs. Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Kathryn Ruemmler, Janet Napolitano; to Mr. Joe Biden, John F. Kerry, Harry Reid, Eric Holder, Pete Rouse, Rick Scott and Charles Rivkin, United States Ambassador in France.