A Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Relations on October 4, 2024
Cuban Embassy in Washington DC on the night of the attack. photo: Cubadebate
The Ministry of Foreign Relations of Cuba vigorously repudiates a new act of complicity of the United States with terrorist violence against Cuba.
The judicial authorities of the US have decided to free Alexander Alazo, the individual who, on April 30 2020, openly fired 32 shots at the Cuban Embassy, while there were 7 people inside.
This event, which occurred in a street in the center of Washington DC, the US capital, directed against a diplomatic headquarters with the intent to cause harm, would be classified as a terrorist act in any country. Not in the US, and still less when we are dealing with a violent act against Cuba. The government of the US has refused at all times to classify the action as what it in fact is, and at no time has had the intention of legally charging the perpetrator as a terrorist, in spite of the fact that the nature of his actions are explicitly described in US legislation against this crime.
The history of the US government as a perpetrator or an acquiescent accomplice of terrorism and of violent acts against Cuba is well known. The protection and support of well-known terrorists forms part of the official record of that country.
A US government psychiatrist, together with the lawyers for the defense, declared that Alazo was not “legally responsible” at the time that he carried out the attack, so he was found not guilty, even when his acts show that he is a danger to society, as declared in a prior judgement of the court.
The authorities of the justice system in the US preferred to ignore the evidence concerning Alazo’s links and contacts with groups and individuals in southern Florida who have track records and antecedents of aggression against Cuba, including the promotion of violence and terrorism.
Cuba is a country that is the victim of organized terrorism, financed and carried out from US territory, with the heart-breaking experience of 3,478 Cuban victims killed and 2,099 wounded and handicapped permanently. Cuba takes a firm and absolute stance against this crime, including state terrorism, and takes on the duty to demand that the United States government act in a serious, responsible and honest manner when an act of this kind is committed against the Embassy of Cuba and the diplomatic personnel assigned to it.
Source: Granma, translation Leni Villagomez Reeves