The Cuban community in exile was surprised and outraged upon learning of the arrival of Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, former secretary of the Communist Party in Cienfuegos and former member of Fidel Castro's "coordination and support team," to retire in Miami.
The news was reported by journalist Mario J. Pentón, who has managed to obtain more information about this case and recently revealed the way the former communist leader entered the United States legally.
Menéndez Castellanos arrived at Miami International Airport on the afternoon of this Thursday. Pentón confirmed that this person's entry into the United States was made through a Family Reunification Visa. He spent several hours detained in Immigration but was finally allowed to leave.
"Many people are bothered by the brazen attitude with which, after having destroyed a country, these leaders now come to retire in Miami," commented the reporter.
Pentón interviewed attorney Wilfredo O. Allen to learn more about this case. There are two possible options to enter the United States through Family Reunification; the first is to do so as a resident, sponsored by a spouse or a U.S. citizen child.
Allen explained that in that case, Menéndez Castellanos should have had at least five years of separation from the PCC and a pardon granted for having belonged to that party. He must have passed a consular interview.
The other option is that he arrived with a parole for Family Reunification. "How did they approve that?" lawyer Allen wondered. In this case, after a year and a day, he will have the option to apply for his residency, and in this process, he must declare that he belonged to the PCC, to the Armed Forces, and that he held a position close to Fidel Castro.
Pentón confirmed that the former leader entered with resident status after completing a reunification process. He now has the right to even enjoy health insurance in the United States, paid for with the taxes of workers and businesses in that country.
Allen warned that "immigration fraud never expires and when it is discovered, the punishment is draconian." In his opinion, the case of Menéndez Castellanos should be investigated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
If the investigations show that there were lies or information was hidden during the process of Family Reunification, this former high-ranking communist leader could be deported.
Upon his arrival in Miami, Menéndez Castellanos tried to go unnoticed. He was wearing a cap, a medical mask, and glasses. In addition, he was in a wheelchair with a black briefcase on his lap. His relatives surrounded him to prevent the press from approaching. They denied any kind of statement.
Manuel Menéndez Castellanos has been linked to leadership positions in Cuba since 1972. First in the Central Workers' Union (CTC), then as First Secretary of the Communist Party in Cienfuegos (1993 and 2003). He was a deputy in the National Assembly for several years and stood out as a member of Fidel Castro's coordination and support team.
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