The former president of the Government of the Isle of Youth requested asylum in the United States through the CBPOne application, in which she claimed "fear of socialism."
Arelys Casañola Quintana, who was the first female president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power in the Special Municipality and a deputy to the National Assembly, would currently be in Kentucky, where there is a large Cuban community.
A Martí Noticias article reports that the former leader, who in 2018 was released from her position "at her own request" as she was going to be "out of the country for a long period of time," entered the United States through the southern border on April 20th.
Casañola, 56 years old, was luckier than his replacement, Liván Fuentes Álvarez, whose flight permit was revoked by the U.S. government this week, just as he was about to board a charter plane to the country.
According to a family member, the former official traveled to Mexico with her son Fidel Alejandro Espinosa Casañola, and for months they waited for their CBPOne appointment to request asylum at the border. The source confirmed that she does not want to speak to the press about her communist past.
Upon entering the United States, the authorities handed him a Form I-94, considered an Entry Record to the country issued by the Department of Homeland Security, with which he will be able to obtain a parole that will allow him to benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act and eventually obtain permanent residency.
Arelys directed the Municipal Assembly of People's Power on the Isle of Youth from 2012 to 2018, during which time she was a member of Parliament. Previously, she held important positions in the Federation of Cuban Women, the Union of Communist Youth, and state enterprises. She was born in Colón, Matanzas, and holds a degree in Education.
His departure from the Government of the territory in 2018 was quite impressive.
The local newspaper Victoria then reported that she received several awards, such as a diploma signed by Raúl Castro and a painting that includes photos of her with Díaz-Canel and with Ramiro Valdés.
Both she and her son deleted their Facebook accounts. However, on Twitter, there is a profile under the name of the former communist leader, active until May 2023, with numerous tweets of propaganda in favor of the regime, including congratulations to the Ministry of the Interior and the Police on their anniversary.
Democracy activist Ramón Salazar called it a "shame" that someone with "those credentials" was allowed to enter the United States.
"We want to bring to the attention of the United States immigration authorities that this woman, during her time as president of the People's Power, ordered and participated in acts of repudiation against opponents and is also a member of the Communist Party of Cuba," told Martí Noticias.
We ask that her case be analyzed and she be returned to Cuban territory. She enjoyed the benefits of the dictatorship, and now she also wants to do so with the United States of America.