Diaz-Balart on Release of Alan Gross and Concessions by President Obama

WASHINGTON D.C. –Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) offered the following statement after the Cuban regime released U.S. humanitarian aid worker Alan Gross from prison. In return for Gross' release, President Obama is releasing three convicted Cuban spies, and providing numerous concessions in the form of sweeping changes to U.S.-Cuba policy.

"Alan Gross should never have spent one day in prison and we are glad that he will finally be reunited with his family. However, the way that his release was achieved is outrageous and proves that once again, President Obama is the Appeaser-in-Chief who is willing to provide unprecedented concessions to a brutal dictatorship that opposes U.S. interests at every opportunity.

"The three remaining Cuban spies who President Obama is releasing were convicted for spying on U.S. military installations, and one was convicted for his role in the shoot-down of an American civilian aircraft in international airspace, which murdered three innocent Americans and one U.S. resident. Their early release is an egregious miscarriage of justice. In addition, providing diplomatic relations and further weakening sanctions attempt to legitimize and provide hard currency to our hemisphere's worst human rights abuser. President Obama's actions are an unconscionable betrayal of America's fundamental values and a profound insult to the oppressed Cuban people.

"The unjust imprisonment and inhumane treatment of Alan Gross demonstrates the utter depravity of the Castro regime, as well as the severe repression that has afflicted the Cuban people for decades. President Obama's decision to allow the Castro regime to blackmail the United States and abandon our pro-democracy principles is an outrage. These changes to policy will further embolden the Cuban dictatorship to continue brutalizing and oppressing its own people as well as other Anti-American dictatorship and terrorist organizations"