Her household believes that Ms. López fell for an previous love and was taken in by him.
James Cason, a former high U.S. official in Cuba, mentioned most Cuban diplomats are identified to be spies for his or her authorities, notably these posted in the United States.
“She had to know what she was getting into, marrying a Cuban diplomat,” Mr. Cason mentioned. “Here in Miami, if you marry a Cuban diplomat, you’re considered a traitor, basically.”
Cuban courtroom paperwork are unequivocal: Mr. Milanés had been a Cuban intelligence agent. And, the courtroom data say, he confessed that to her after they married on Christmas Eve 2007.
By that point, Mr. Milanés lived in Cuba. He was not allowed to go away the island, so his spouse spent the following decade visiting him throughout lengthy weekends and college breaks. According to Cuban courtroom data, Mr. Milanés was an alcoholic who relied on her financially.
In January 2017, Ms. López obtained a cryptic name from her husband, asking her to return to Cuba, her lawyer, Mr. Poblete, mentioned.
Mr. Milanés had been caught on a boat in Baracoa, on the jap coast, attempting to flee Cuba, in keeping with a particular person conversant in the case who was not licensed to talk publicly about it. He had referred to as his spouse from custody, luring her to the island.
Ms. López flew to Havana and was arrested in the airport, on her method again.
“I don’t care if he had a gun to his head,” Mr. Peralta mentioned of her husband. “That’s your wife. What kind of man are you to throw your wife under the bus?”
