US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA9305

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 009305 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR WHA, WHA/CCA AND PRM/A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, CU, CO 
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR HUMANITARIAN PAROLE FOR THREE CUBAN 
NATIONALS 
 
REF: HOEY-WHA/CCA EMAILS 
 
1. (U)  This is an action message.  Please see paragraph 7. 
 
2. (SBU) Embassy was contacted by Ms. Liduine Zumpolle, a 
Dutch national who works with the pro-democracy NGO "Cuba 
Futuro" about the case of three Cuban nationals who worked in 
harsh conditions in a shipyard in Curacao.  Zumpolle said the 
men (Fernando ALONSO HERNANDEZ, Luis Alberto CASANOVA TOLEDO 
and Alberto RODRIGUEZ LICEA) denounced the Castro regime in 
the Dutch and French press because of the way they were 
treated in Curacao and fled to Colombia.  Colombian labor 
activist Jose Leon Ramirez (Colombian Workers Federation - 
CTC) is also interested in the case and has been assisting 
the men who are living temporarily in Cartagena.  All three 
want to resettle to the U.S.  There are no refugee cases 
pending for any of the men with the U.S. Interests Section in 
Havana. 
 
3. (SBU)  Alonso, Casanova and Rodriguez were sent to Curacao 
in 2004 to work in the dry dock to repay a debt the Cuban 
Government owed to Curacao.  All of the men had been employed 
by the national shipyard company (Empresa Nacional de 
Astillero de Cuba) in Cuba.  They reported that while working 
in Curacao, they were not given proper food, worked extremely 
long hours in unsafe conditions, and did not receive the 
compensation they were promised.  The men stated that they 
were forced to work 14-15 hours a day, 10-15 days in a row 
without any time off.  Because of the intolerable conditions, 
they left their jobs in Curacao and denounced Castro and the 
Cuban Government because of the way they were treated by the 
Cuban Government.  Their passports were retained by a member 
of the Cuban security agency, Rosana Grau.  The men claim 
that Ms. Grau hired a private Venezuelan security company 
(Panamericana) to find them "dead or alive." After leaving 
Curacao, the men made their way to western Venezuela and then 
to Cartagena, Colombia. 
 
4. (SBU) Prospects for Local Integration:  Embassy 
understands the Colombian Government has approved the request 
for refugee status in Colombia but has not yet officially 
notified the three men.  The men have changed apartments 
several times because of the concern that Cuban Government 
teachers, who are on an official mission in Sucre Department, 
may be looking for them.  The men claim that a strange man 
came to their apartment in early July asking for "the three 
Cubans."  The men moved to another building shortly 
afterwards.  Representatives of the Catholic Church,s social 
outreach agency visited the Cubans on July 19, 2005 and 
reported to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for 
Refugees that they did not complain of any problems.  When 
asked about this, the Cubans said they were afraid to tell 
the representative from the Church. 
 
5. (SBU) Prospects for Employment/Financial Support in the 
U.S.:  The men stated that they made friends with Americans 
in Curacao who will offer them work in Miami.  They note that 
&World Shipping Management Corporation8 has offered them 
employment.  They added that their families would help them 
when they got to the U.S., and would also assist Mr. 
Rodriguez Licea who does not have family in the U.S. 
 
6. (SBU) Current Address and Biographic Information: 
Diagonal 32, 71-49, Barrio Los Cerezos, Cerca de la bomba El 
Gallo, Cartagena, Colombia.  Cellular Telephone: 315 650-9505 
 
ALONSO HERNANDEZ, Fernando 
DPOB 09NOV65  Maria Navo, Cuba 
Profession:  Technician in ship construction 
20 years experience. 
Left Dry dock in Curacao on January 7, 2005 
 
Relatives in U.S. 
Father: ALONSO, Eduardo Luis 
411 SW 6th Street, Coral Gables, FL  33134 
Cell phone 786 263-3734 
 
Brother: ALONSO HERNANDEZ, Eduardo 
185 NW 13th Avenue, #830, Miami Florida 
Telephone: 305 244-7981 
 
CASANOVA TOLEDO, Luis Alberto 
DPOB: 12Dec78, Havana, Cuba 
Profession:  Technician in Naval ship construction 
20 years experience as a solderer. 
Left Dry dock in Curacao January 7, 2005 
 
Relatives in U.S. 
Sister: CASANOVA TOLEDO, Liliana de los Angeles 
4539 West Henry Avenue, Tampa Florida, 33614 
Telephone:  813 391-7498   813 391-5491 
 
RODRIGUEZ LICEA, Alberto Justo 
DPOB 25Jun65, Havana, Cuba 
Profession:  Technician in naval ship construction.  15 years 
experience. 
Left Dry dock in Curacao October 9, 2004 
 
Relatives in U.S. 
None.  Relatives of Mr. Casanova and Mr. Alonso have sent an 
affidavit of support for Mr. Rodriguez Licea to Senator Mel 
Martinez' office. 
 
7. (SBU) Given that the three men have publicly denounced the 
Castro regime, have no ties in Colombia, and that two of them 
have immediate relatives in the U.S., Embassy Bogota 
recommends humanitarian parole for this group. 
 
WOOD