Official US and Cuban government announcements

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

Dec 31, 2024, 08:20 PM

Cuba has released Raúl Ernesto Cruz León, a Salvadoran national convicted of orchestrating a series of bombings targeting tourist sites in Havana in 1997. Cruz León, initially sentenced to death in 1999, had his sentence commuted to 30 years in 2010. The bombings, which included six explosions at hotels and restaurants, were reportedly financed and planned by anti-Castro exiles, including Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban exile and former CIA collaborator. One of the attacks killed an Italian tourist, Fabio di Celmo, and injured seven others. Cruz León confessed to his role in the attacks, stating he was recruited and trained for the operations. Another Salvadoran, Otto René Rodríguez Llerena, was also convicted for a related attack and released in 2016. Francisco Chávez Abarca, who supplied explosives, was extradited to Cuba in 2010 and sentenced to 30 years. Cuban authorities have emphasized the completion of Cruz León’s sentence as an example of the country’s legal system, while also criticizing the United States for allegedly sheltering those who masterminded the attacks and for keeping Cuba on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cruz León’s release marks the end of his sentence, but Cuban officials have not disclosed his current whereabouts.