American fugitives in Cuba



Various American fugitives in Cuba have found political asylum in Cuba after participating in militant activities in the Black power movement or the Independence movement in Puerto Rico. Other fugitives in Cuba include defected CIA agents and others. The Cuban government formed formal ties with the Black Panther Party in the 1960s, and many fugitive Black Panthers would find political asylum in Cuba, but after their activism was seen being repressed in Cuba many became disillusioned. House Concurrent Resolution 254, passed in 1998, put the number at 90. One estimate, c. 2000, put the number at approximately 100.

Beginnings
Fidel Castro had long tried to court African American support for Cuba ever since the victory of the Cuban Revolution and the promotions of Cuba as an island without racism perfect for African American tourists. Robert F. Williams was invited to live in Cuba after legal prosecutions against him in the United States in 1961. While in Cuba he edited The Crusader newspaper and hosted radio shows at Radio Free Dixie. Over Williams' time in Cuba he began to become disillusioned with Cuba believing the island was controlled by a "white petit bourgeoisie", while Afro-Cubans were feeling the pinch of fast returning subtle racism", and also later suggested against black militants without criminal histories hijacking planes to come to Cuba. Williams was also discouraged from promoting Black nationalist beliefs by the Cuban government.

Increase
Between 1967 and 1968 dozens of Black Panthers found refuge in Cuba. Eldridge Cleaver went to reside Cuba in 1968 and asked for Cuba to militarily train Black Panthers, the proposition was declined. By 1969 various Black Panthers in Cuba complained of not being allowed to organize their party or discuss African culture, and arrests following protesting conditions in Cuba or asking to leave the country.

Actually, no Black Panther Party members hijacked any planes in 1967 or 1968. It wasn't until William Lee Brent, a Bay Area Black Panther, who on June 17, 1969, hijacked Trans World Airlines Flight 154 to Cuba. Hijackings committed by Blacks in the US bound to Cuba between 1968 and May 1969 were exclusively escaped criminals or political activists but none of them were Black Panther Party members. It was only after William Lee Brent's hijacking that other Black Panthers would find political exile in Cuba. Most moved on to Algiers where Eldridge Cleaver, Minister of Information for the Black Panther Party, headed the International Section of the BPP. Many exiled Panthers and former hijackers now turned Panthers, made up Cleavers group.

"He's the only North American who made an adjustment to Cuban life, " Stated D.R. Huey P. Newton of Panther William Lee Grant (The CoEvolution Journal, Fall 1977).

Most hijackers who complained about their mistreatment while in Cuba were disillusioned with Cuba being a utopia for Revolutionaries. Most of them were also barely out of their teens and idealistic, expecting a heroes' welcome by the communist government. They were not prepared for the reality of socialism and culture shock.

Between 1968 and 1972 over 130 airplane hijackings occurred in the United States, all hijackers aiming to fly their planes to Cuba to find refuge. Many hijackers regarded themselves as revolutionaries but one noted hijacker was a Cuban exile who simply wanted to return home to eat his mother's food. Most hijackers were interviewed by Cuban authorities and either sent to live in the "Hijackers House" dormitory or work in labor camps. Huey P. Newton found himself residing in Cuba in 1974 and mostly kept to himself in his home in Santa Clara. Assata Shakur would find refuge in Cuba later in 1984. By the time Shakur resided in Cuba the Cuban government had relaxed procedures used on fugitives residing in Cuba and mainly left her to her own devices.

Later status
Since the resumption of relations with the United States and the trades of imprisoned spies some have suspected fugitives in Cuba may be extradited to the United States but no extraditions have occurred.

List
The following people are fugitives who have or currently are finding refuge in Cuba, (in alphabetical order).


 * Nehanda Abiodun
 * Philip Agee
 * Hugh Almeida, U.S. Army physician
 * William Lee Brent
 * Eldridge Cleaver
 * Lorenzo Kom'boa Ervin
 * Víctor Manuel Gerena
 * William Morales
 * Huey P. Newton
 * Assata Shakur
 * Frank Terpil
 * Robert Vesco
 * Robert F. Williams