Family and friends outline desire for clemency for exile militant

  The name Eduardo Arocena evokes either fear or admiration – depending on your political views. As alleged mastermind of the Cuban exile militant organization Omega 7 mere mention of his name would at one time conjure up images of a mysterious terrorist bent on assassinating Cuban government officials or blowing up Cuban government embassies and other facilities associated or allied with the Havana regime. But to many Cuban Americans, Arocena is a patriot who acted as a revolutionary bent on overthrowing the Fidel Castro government that most exiles view as illegitimate and worthy of destruction. Those two radically different views of Arocena will be in play over the next few months as some Cuban exiles press their campaign to persuade President Bush to pardon Arocena. Arocena’s wife. Miriam, appeared at a news conference in Little Havana Tuesday to urge Cuban exiles and others to sign a petition she and her supporters are planning to send to Bush soon. She also said that she had forwarded letters to Bush and his wife Laura through Sen. Joe Lieberman who visited the Bay of Pigs museum in Little Havana July 20 while campaigning for John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. Lieberman's office confirmed the meeting but said the senator has no position on the issue. “Senator Lieberman does not intervene in criminal proceedings including requests for pardons,’’ according to Scott Overland, a Lieberman spokesman. “The correspondence was merely forwarded without any comment, endorsement or support whatsoever.” The White House declined comment, and the Justice Department in general discussed its process to review clemency requests. Those rules would seem to rule out a pardon for Arocena – but not some form of presidential clemency. “No petition for pardon should be filed until the expiration of a waiting period of at least five years after the date of the release of the petitioner from confinement,’’ those rules say. Arocena was sentenced to life in prison plus 35 years. The rules say another form of clemency is commutation of sentence. (The photo shows a poster shown at the news conference in Little Havana Tuesday where Arocena's wife, Miriam, and supporters spoke. In Spanish, the poster says For Eduardo It's Time Already. 25 Years) Miriam said that if Bush does not grant clemency, then the earliest her husband can be considered for release would be 2050. “I don't think any of us are going be here on that year,’’ she said Tuesday.

-- Alfonso Chardy

Comments

[Mambi Watch]

Arocena must renounce violence that his past determination has indicated. The US should demand this condition upon the granting of commutation of his sentence.

Details of his convictions in 1984 and '85 are here:

http://eduardoarocena.blogspot.com/