Cuban pilot linked to 1996 plane shootdown sentenced in US immigration fraud case

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Washington DC: A Cuban pilot accused in the 1996 shootdown of two U.S. civilian aircraft was sentenced Thursday in a separate U.S. immigration fraud case after admitting he lied about his military background while applying for permanent residency.

Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodríguez was sentenced to seven months in prison by a federal court in Florida. He is expected to serve only a few more days because of time already spent in custody.

U.S. prosecutors said Gonzalez-Pardo Rodríguez failed to disclose his past role in Cuba’s Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force when applying for residency in the United States last year.

The case gained attention after U.S. authorities recently indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro and other former Cuban officials over the 1996 downing of two planes operated by the anti-Castro group Brothers to the Rescue.

Four Cuban exiles living in the United States were killed after Cuban military jets shot down the planes. Cuba claimed the aircraft had entered its airspace, but international investigations later concluded the planes were in international airspace at the time.

The incident led to strong condemnation from Washington and helped trigger tougher U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

During Thursday’s hearing, González-Pardo Rodríguez apologised for hiding his military ties. His lawyers said he concealed the information out of fear it would affect his chance to remain in the United States with his family after leaving Cuba several years ago.

Pic Credit: Dept. of Justice