The Miami Herald

Leaders of Cuban Foundation Urge Ashcroft to Indict Castro

by Gaile Epstein Nieves and Elaine de Valle

The two top leaders of the Cuban American National Foundation on Tuesday night urged U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to consider the indictment of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

CANF Chairman Jorge Mas Santos and President Jose “Pepe” Hernandez – conspicuously missing from a public lunch with Ascroft in Little Havana earlier – arranged a private dinner in Surfside to discuss the indictment of Castro and other

“relevant immigration issues for the Cuban community,” said Joe Garcia the foundation’s executive director.

“The primary issue is the indictment” of Fidel Castro on murder charges in connection to the 1996 shoot-down of two Brothers to the Rescue planes and the deaths of four volunteers. With the recent conviction in Miami of five Cuban spies – one accused of a murder conspiracy in connection with the shootdown – the foundation believes it has the ammunition it needs.

“Fidel Castro has said to the whole world that he alone was responsible,” Garcia said.

The dinner at Café Ragazzi was the first major access foundation members had this year with Ashcroft, who as attorney general oversees U.S. attorneys and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Foundation members had previously dealt with Ashcroft when he was a U.S. senator, Garcia said.

Dan Nelson, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney general, said Ashcroft – scheduled to leave South Florida this morning – would not comment on the dinner conversation.

“He is not in a position to talk about that,” Nelson said, referring to the indictment question.

Mas, without being specific, said the dinner was “constructive” and expressed confidence in Ashcroft: “He’s a man who’s going to make sure that justice takes its course.”

Mas said the dinner chat also came around to the wet foot/dry foot policy, the practice begun in 1994 of repatriating Cuban migrants caught at sea while letting those who reach U.s. shores tay in the United States.

The evening meeting at the restaurant on Surfside’s Harding Avenue was a contrast from the lunch at Little Havana’s Versailles restaurant.

The afternoon meal was billed as a luncheon between Ashcroft and Miami’s Cuban-American leadership, but with uninvited appearances from a local cast of characters, the sideshow threatened to overtake the main event.

In one crowded aisle stood Donato “the fisherman” Dalrymple, the house cleaner who briefly became famous for spotting 6-year-old shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez in 1999.

In another aisle was Ricardo Ramirez, an immigration agent who is suing former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and his INS bosses for allegedly destroying documents pertaining to Elian’s seizure.

Everyone wanted to talk to Ashcroft. The only interloper who managed to wrangle an impromptu audience was Jose Basulto, pilot and co-founder of Brothers to the Rescue.

Basulto also pressed for the judicial action: “We told him that he’s been entrusted with the duty that miss Janet Reno was not willing to take care of., namely the indictment of [Cuban leader] Fidel Castro for the murder of our pilots.”

Ashcroft’s response? “He didn’t say anything,” Basulto said. “Just very glad to see you, very nice to meet you.”

Ashcroft cloistered himself in the back room to eat with a few Cuban Americans – Republican loyalists all chosen to attend by Governor Jeb Bush – and listen to their concerns on Cuban issues.

They were state Rep. Mario Mario Diaz- Balart of Miami, sitting in for his brother, U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart; Enrique Ros, representing his daughter, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; and lobbyist Miguel de Grandy, who represented the GOP in its efforts to win the Florida vote for President Bush. Also lawyer Gonzalo R. Dorta, and appointee of Gov. Bush’s to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 11th Judicial Circuit; lawyer and developer Oscar Rivero; and Feliciano Foyo, CANF accountant and treasurer.

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