Official announcements from the U.S. Department of Justice or Cuban government

Cuba Frees Salvadoran After 30 Years for 1997 Havana Bombings That Killed Italian Tourist

Jan 1, 2025, 07:47 AM

Cuba has released Raúl Ernesto Cruz León, a Salvadoran man who was convicted for his role in a series of bombings targeting hotels in Havana in 1997. Cruz León confessed to the attacks, which resulted in the death of an Italian tourist. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was later commuted to 30 years in prison, which he served in full before his release. The bombings were part of a broader campaign against Cuba's tourism industry, allegedly orchestrated by Cuban exiles. The Cuban government has criticized the United States for harboring the intellectual authors of these attacks, who have not faced justice.