Humanitarian Speaks of Imprisonment in Cuba
Alan Gross, an American humanitarian activist imprisoned by the Cuban government for five years, was the spring’s Clough Colloquium featured speaker. Gross went to Cuba as a communications contractor to install technology and train the Cuban people on using it. The Cuban government charged this work was contra-Cuban, threatening the integrity and independence of the state. After his arrest and a two-day trial, Gross was sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security facility.
Gross drew parallels between his time in prison and the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day, as every day he followed the same routine from sunup to sundown–eating, reading, exercising, and watching soccer and Cuban news on TV. The Cuban news reported incessantly about el bloqueo, the US embargo, but he mused, is there really an embargo in place? The chicken in Cuban restaurants was imported from the US and other imported products flooded the Cuban market. The embargo, in his opinion, is meaningless and so he supports President Obama’s executive order in lifting it.
During his imprisonment, Gross was kept in the dark about the work that was being done by the US government to secure his release. Despite the frustration of not knowing what was underway, he is very grateful and appreciative of the government; various communities, including grassroots interfaith communities; and Pope Francis, all of whom made his release possible. He was freed as part of a trade deal which also secured the release of an unnamed US spy. His first day of freedom was on the first day of Hanukkah. He recalled the joy of eating latkes and meat for the first time in five years, all the while flying on Air Force One.
Despite his imprisonment, Gross marveled at the warm generosity of the Cuban people, and mentioned that the revolution did do some good by providing universal education and healthcare for the people. He cited reports that Cuba even has a higher literacy rate than in the US. While Gross would like to return to Cuba one day, that would depend on permission from the Cuban government.