US embassy cable - 05SANJOSE2410

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN JOSE 002410 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/A (MESTETSKY) 
DHS FOR DHS/BCIS (OFFICE OF ASYLUM, REFUGEES, AND 
INTERNATIONAL OPS) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, CVIS, CS, CU 
SUBJECT: REFUGEE REFERRAL: PEDRO PIQUET 
 
REF: A. 03 STATE 326248 
 
     B. STATE 223225 
 
Classified By: CDA Russell L. Frisbie for reason 1.4 (b&d) 
 
1. (C) Post wishes to refer Cuban national Dr. Pedro Piquet 
for consideration under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. 
Bio data based on Dr. Piquet's passport is as follows: 
 
Pedro Manuel Piquet Del Castillo, born in Granma, Cuba, on 
June 15, 1950.  Passport number is 0218490, issued on April 
3, 2003 and expiring on April 2, 2009. 
 
2. (C) Dr. Piquet participated in the Cuban Doctors Program 
in Costa Rica for a little more than one year.  Dr. Piquet 
was issued a one-time Cuban exit permit (number A 0110260), 
valid for use between August 19, 2004, to February 2, 2006, 
which allows him to remain outside Cuba for 365 days.  On 
September 3, 2004, the Costa Rican Consulate in Havana issued 
Dr. Piquet a visa and he departed Cuba on September 5, 2004. 
The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry has since granted two 
six-month extensions to the original visa, which expired on 
October 8, 2005. 
 
3. (C) Dr. Piquet contacted us indirectly in early May, 2005 
via email through his wife's brother-in-law, who works for 
the CDC in Atlanta.  U.S. Interest Section Havana verified 
that Dr. Piquet's family had been approved for resettlement 
(Case CU42741) with the wife (Maria Sera Diaz) as the 
principal applicant. 
 
4. (C) PolOff and ConOff met with Dr. Piquet at the Embassy 
on August 26, 2005, after he had refused an order to return 
to Cuba and had gone into hiding.  Dr. Piquet informed us 
that he had earlier approached the Cuban Consulate in San 
Jose to inquire about legal documents necessary to obtain 
exit permission for his daughter from Cuba so that she and 
his wife could depart for the U.S. as approved refugees.  The 
Cuban Consul originally told him there would be no problem 
with obtaining the documents then, without explanation, Dr. 
Piquet was ordered to return to Cuba more than a month ahead 
of his peers.  Dr. Piquet believes that the order to return 
is a result of his family's desire to participate in the U.S. 
Refugee Program and his own effort to secure exit permission 
for his daughter while remaining abroad himself.  Since going 
into hiding, Dr. Piquet has had no direct contact with his 
wife, but has heard through relatives that she has been 
questioned by the police several times since he failed to 
return.  Dr. Piquet believes that as a result of his wife's 
application and his own refusal to return that he would face 
persecution, should he return to Cuba, including loss of 
employment and possible arrest. 
 
5. (C) At the end of the interview, Post provided Dr. Piquet 
with names and contact information at the UNHCR offices in 
San Jose.  In a follow-up conversation with UNHCR officials 
we learned that Dr. Piquet was directed to apply with Costa 
Rican Immigration for an extension of his legal status in 
Costa Rica which was nearing expiration. 
 
6. (C) In subsequent communication with the Refugee Unit at 
the U.S. Interest Section in Havana and PRM/Admissions, Post 
was informed that while Dr. Piquet's wife is approved for 
resettlement, Dr. Piquet himself is only eligible if he were 
to travel after his wife's admission as a refugee to the U.S. 
 However, the wife and daughter are unable to travel without 
exit permits from the Cuban Government.  Dr. Piquet 
understands that there is no guarantee his wife and child 
will ever be granted exit permission, and that he may be 
permanently separated from his family unless he returns to 
Cuba, which he does not wish to do, due to his fear of 
persecution and imprisonment.  Therefore, Post requests that 
Dr. Piquet's case be considered as a P-1 referral for the 
U.S. Refugee Program. 
FRISBIE