As the hours go by, the question about the identity of the former Cuban intelligence agent arrested on Wednesday morning in the United States for alleged fraud related to his permanent resident status (LPR) grows.
The journalist Juan Manuel Cao suggested the hypothesis that the military pilot of the Cuban regime, Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez, could be involved in the downing of two planes from Hermanos al Rescate, who, as reported last October, may be residing in the United States thanks to humanitarian parole.
Retired with the rank of colonel, González-Pardo was part of the Anti-Air Defense and Revolutionary Air Force (DAAFAR) and participated in the shooting down of the planes from Brothers to the Rescue in 1996, an event in which the Cuban-American pilots, Mario Manuel de la Peña (24 years), Armando Alejandre (45), Carlos Costa (29), and the Cuban resident Pablo Morales (29) lost their lives.
Cao indicated that there is no confirmation, but shared some photos of González-Pardo in which it is noted that it could be the same person seen from behind in the only photo released by the authorities this Wednesday.
Last year, members of the exile community and Cuban American congress members raised concerns about the growing number of repressors and officials from the Cuban regime arriving or who have long been residing in U.S. territory.
Although he would not have been directly responsible for the missile fire that shot down the two small planes on February 24, 1996, the pilot would have taken off that day and pursued the third aircraft, piloted by the organization's leader José Basulto and Arnaldo Iglesias, which also carried the leader of the M.A.R organization, Silvia Iriondo, and her husband Andrés, who managed to escape.
After his retirement, González-Pardo held significant positions in Cuban civil aviation, including the role of second chief of Terminal 4 at José Martí International Airport in Havana, also known as the International Cargo Terminal, operated in collaboration between Cuban and Spanish companies.
Another hypothesis regarding the identity of the arrested individual
On social media, many users have also speculated about the possibility that the detained individual is Manuel Menéndez Castellanos, former secretary of the Communist Party in the province of Cienfuegos and a former member of Fidel Castro's "coordination and support team," who arrived at Miami International Airport last August.
The news was announced at that moment by journalist Mario J. Pentón, who was a direct witness to the arrival of the former party leader.
Menéndez Castellano—who reportedly arrived through family reunification—tried to go unnoticed by wearing a cap, a face mask, and glasses. He arrived in a wheelchair, carrying a black suitcase on his lap.
When journalist Mario J. Pentón identified himself as a reporter to the former leader, Menéndez Castellano tried to grab the camera, covered his face, and said, "I’m going home," in images that went viral.
Menéndez Castellanos worked for the Cuban regime since 1972. He first became involved with the Cuban Workers' Central (CTC) and was later promoted to First Secretary of the Communist Party in Cienfuegos, a position he held from 1993 to 2003.
Deputy to the National Assembly for several years, Menéndez Castellanos also represented the regime at international events such as the Congress of the Communist Party of Venezuela and the Tenth Anniversary of the Unification of Yemen.
The Mysterious Arrest
This Wednesday, ICE, HSI, and the FBI reported the arrest of "a former member of Cuban intelligence for fraudulently obtaining his legal permanent resident (LPR) status."
The statement added, "HSI and its partners will continue their efforts to identify and apprehend individuals who pose a threat to our national security," the communiqué emphasized.
The arrest highlighted the efforts of U.S. authorities to investigate and prosecute cases of immigration fraud, particularly those involving individuals with previous connections to foreign intelligence entities.
The authorities promised that both the identification and a video of the arrest would be released by this Thursday.
However, by the time this report was finalized, the identity of the detainee had not been disclosed.
If neither of the two mentioned Cubans is involved, many internet users agree that, given the political history of both, it is clear that they have more than enough merit to be deserving of deportation to the island.
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