Transcript of an interview with Cuban pilot Juan Pablo Roque conducted by CNN's Lucia Newman in Havana on February 27, 1996.
Lucia Newman:
Thank you for being with us. First of all, Mr. Roque, there
has been a lot of confusion over the circumstances of how you
left Cuba and why you returned. I'd like to ask you very
bluntly: Were you a spy for the Cuban government?
Juan Pablo Roque:
Yes, I left Cuba. I am no state security agent. Whoever says
that should stop that. I left Cuba because I was frustrated
professionally. I couldn't fly, and that is very serious for
a pilot. I had personal problems. Problems with my brothers.
Some of them were in prison. I separated from my wife. It
was frustrating. That made me make the decision to abandon
Cuba. Why did I return? Because I became frustrated over
there (in the United States) -- became frustrated with that
society. I remembered what Jose Marti said when he spoke
about living in the belly of the beast. The life I was
living -- the political intolerance. I grew frustrated with
all of that and decided to return.
Newman:
You say you were frustrated in Cuba and then you were
frustrated in the United States. You'll excuse me for saying
so, but your credibility is seriously in question. How can
people believe you?
Roque:
There is a lack of understanding of what goes on in Miami.
The right-wing rhetoric there would impair anyone's mind.
Even someone who took the decision that I took. Regardless of
what my "brothers" think, this is my personal decision and
should be respected.
Newman:
But why didn't you just quit Brothers to the Rescue? Why did
you leave without telling your wife?
Roque:
Why should I tell my wife my intentions? She didn't even
believe what was happening. Why should I tell her? It is a
personal decision. My children are here, not there.
Newman:
You say that when you were working for Brothers to the
Rescue, you had contact with an FBI agent, or with the FBI.
Could you tell me more (about) the details of what sort of
contacts, what was the role of the FBI in the organization
Brothers to the Rescue?
Roque:
I was responsible with providing the FBI with intelligence
about all the anti-Castro organizations, not just Brothers to
the Rescue.
Newman: Why did you agree to do this?
Roque:
Why did I agree to do this? Because when I became
disillusioned with people who say that they love Cuba, but
they just really want to just drop bombs on Cuba over the
so-called cover of humanitarian missions. They're carrying
out terrorist actions. They're told, 'Don't enter Cuban
airspace.' And they still do it. I'm constantly telling the
FBI. FBI agent Oscar Montoto tells me on February 21st:
'Don't go on that mission, because they are gonna knock you
out of the sky.' I tell Basulto, 'Basulto, they're gonna
shoot down the planes.' This is madness. I know the Cuban
air force. Third time you're out. They've already put up with
too much. Agent Montoto told me not to go. The U.S.
government knew they were going to shoot them down.
Newman:
How do you know that?
Roque:
They told me personally. The FBI, what is it? Is it a
travel agency? A travel agency -- it is the government.
Newman:
How can you prove -- what proof do you have? How was it
Brothers to the Rescue was planning to assassinate President
Fidel Castro?
Roque:
I am the first proof. I participated in these actions. The
second proof is in the hands of the FBI. All the evidence.
All the proof. The FBI has it. We're not talking about a
specific plan to assassinate Castro per say. It was a plan
to introduce weapons to carry on attacks against many
targets, including Fidel Castro, so I informed the FBI of all
this. The FBI opposed these actions, because they violated
the Neutrality Act. I tried to persuade Brothers to the
Rescue not to continue their flights. But they would not
listen. My opinion did not count, because they wanted
martyrs. Martyrs to boost their anti-Castro industry.
Ratings were down. They wanted martyrs. They got them.
Those innocent pilots. Why didn't Basulto die? Why did he
stay away when we always flew in low together. When we
violated Cuban airspace, we had agreed to die together. So
what did he do? Sent out the soldiers. Captain stayed
behind.
Newman:
A lot of people say the downing of these airplanes was not an
act of patriotism but an act of cold-blooded murder. Do you
feel responsible for what happened on Saturday?
Roque:
No. No. On the contrary, my conscience is clear 'cause I
warned the U.S. government they were going to shoot them
down. It was madness. I did everything to avoid the deaths of
my four comrades but nobody paid attention.
Newman:
What about your future? You betrayed many of the confidences
of your family, of your wife. You, also, by your own
admittance, betrayed your country at some point. What do you
expect to do from now on?
Roque:
That's a very narrow definition of betrayal. You'd have to
look up the meaning in the dictionary of treason. I was born
here. My children were born here. Immigration authorities
are investigating my case. I think I can rectify my mistakes.
Maybe I won't fly again, but maybe the government will give
me a chance. I will do my best to raise my children here.
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