On Monday, the Cuban regime released Salvadoran national Raúl Ernesto Cruz León after he completed a 30-year prison sentence on the island. He was convicted for his involvement in a series of 1997 terrorist attacks in Havana. Cruz León, identified as one of the direct perpetrators of the attacks, was arrested and tried in Cuba for the explosions that resulted in multiple injuries and the death of an Italian tourist at the Copacabana Hotel, according to the government-run newspaper Granma.
Initially, Cruz León was sentenced to death for continuous terrorism offenses. However, in 2010, the State Security Crimes Chamber of the Supreme People's Court decided to commute his sentence to 30 years of imprisonment, which he completed in full by December 30.
The Cuban regime has consistently claimed that these attacks "were orchestrated by terrorist groups funded by the Cuban American National Foundation (FNCA) and supported by the United States government." According to the official account, on September 4, 1997, Cruz León detonated a bomb at the Copacabana Hotel in Havana, which resulted in the death of young Italian Fabio Di Celmo and left 11 others injured across various hotels in the Cuban capital.
In 2016, the regime also released Otto Rodríguez Llerena, another individual involved in planting the explosive devices. At that time, Cruz León and Francisco Chávez Abarca remained incarcerated.
Key Questions About the 1997 Havana Attacks
What was Raúl Ernesto Cruz León convicted of?
Raúl Ernesto Cruz León was convicted for his role in a series of terrorist attacks in Havana in 1997, which resulted in casualties and injuries, including the death of an Italian tourist.
How was Cruz León's sentence changed over time?
Initially sentenced to death, Cruz León's sentence was commuted to 30 years of imprisonment in 2010 by the State Security Crimes Chamber of the Supreme People's Court.
Who else was involved in the Havana attacks?
In addition to Cruz León, Otto Rodríguez Llerena and Francisco Chávez Abarca were also involved in the 1997 attacks, with Rodríguez Llerena being released in 2016.