The identity of the Cuban officials who allegedly visited restricted areas of the Miami International Airport (MIA) has finally been revealed.
Among those involved is Carlos Radamés Pérez Andino, vice president of the Cuban Civil Aeronautics Institute, along with four other senior Cuban officials.
Martí Noticias consulted a document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, where the government of the island requests diplomatic visas for Pérez Andino and his companions.
These officials toured security and baggage areas not accessible to the general public at MIA. Ralph Cutié, Director of the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, confirmed this information.
The purpose of the trip, according to the MINREX document, was to participate in a work meeting with the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The Cuban officials traveled to the northern country on March 3, 2024, entering through the John F. Kennedy airports in New York and Washington Dulles. The travel expenses were covered by the Cuban government.
In addition to Pérez Andino, the delegation included Nestar María Rojas Álvarez, Lorenzo de la Rosa Garcés, Jossue Puigvert García, and Benedicto Nelson Gutiérrez Acosta, all with A2 diplomatic visas.
The delegation represented several entities, including the Cuban Aviation Corporation and the General Customs of the Republic of Cuba.
The visit has generated criticism in South Florida. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava issued a statement expressing her surprise upon learning of the presence of Cubans in strategic facilities in the city, managed by her office.
Senator Rick Scott and Congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart, Marco Rubio, and Carlos A. Giménez, the latter being the chairman of the National Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime, said they were surprised by the Biden Administration's decision to allow representatives of a terrorist-sponsoring regime access to these areas.
A TSA spokesperson explained that the visit was to showcase the agency's security operations and best practices in civil aviation security. The Cubans were taken to a terminal with the most advanced technology, an area that requires a thorough background check to access.
The controversy escalated as the visit coincided with Cuba's Independence Day on May 20, fueling rejection among the Cuban community in Miami.
The official Cuban press has remained silent about this trip. In addition to the usual secrecy, it is worth noting that the profiles of the officials on social networks are scarce, and their positions in state institutions have not been able to be verified.
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