Exiles back Cuban militant on asylum bid, poll shows

(Not surpisingly, the Cuban-American community supports the right of a self-avowed terrorist and assasin to live freely here in the United States.)

By Madeline Baró Diaz
Miami Bureau
May 24 2005


Despite accusations that Cuban militant Luis Posada Carriles has carried out deadly attacks in his four-decade battle against President Fidel Castro's government, most Cuban exiles in South Florida think he is a patriot who deserves political asylum in the United States, according to a poll to be released today.

The poll of 300 Cuban-born people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties was conducted May 13-22 by Bendixen & Associates, which asked respondents about their views on Posada.

More than 60 percent said they had a positive view of the aging exile and former CIA operative who has been accused of a number of violent acts, but they also said they preferred that a future transition to democracy in Cuba be peaceful rather than violent.