Statement by Lisandro P

October
10, 2008                                                                      Read Spanish Version

In an appearance on October 8, 2008, on the program
“A Mano Limpia” hosted by Oscar Haza on Channel 41 (WJAN), one
Chris Simmons, who identifies himself as a Lieutenant Coronel in the
U.S. Army and former U.S. intelligence officer, accused me of being
an “agent” of the Cuban government. He did so without citing any
evidence or specifics, saying only that I had been identified by a
Cuban defector.

For the record:

Anyone who asserts that
I am now, or have ever been, an “agent” of the Cuban government
is lying.

Anyone who asserts that I have ever worked under
instructions from the Cuban government is lying.

Anyone who
asserts that I have ever been “recruited” by the Cuban government
to work as its “agent” is lying.

Mr. Simmons has accused
me of something that is a crime under U.S. law. If credible evidence
existed that I have acted as an agent of the Cuban government, I
should have already been arrested, or at the very least, questioned.
Yet, I have never even been approached by any U.S. law enforcement
agency regarding Cuba or any other matter.

Mr. Simmons gives
every indication of being a fraud. He is presumably an “expert”
on Cuban intelligence, yet he does not speak Spanish. His use of
innuendos, undisclosed sources, and dated and publicly-available
documents, as well as his publicity-seeking tour of Miami
Spanish-language media, betrays a conduct unbecoming an intelligence
officer.

But Mr. Simmons is a former intelligence officer, one
apparently looking to make a living from his government career. The
founder of something called “The Cuban Intelligence Center”
http://cubanintelligence.com/?page_id=17.
Simmons offers prospective clients (U.S. and foreign governments and
corporations and non-profit organizations) “state-of-the-art
intelligence for those requiring an increased understanding of the
Cuban government,” especially those “not prepared to counteract
the intelligence threat directed against them by Havana.” Mr.
Simmons will deliver lectures and organize seminars with price tags
in the thousands of dollars. There is even a book on the
way.

Simmons is publicizing his new for-profit career by using
character assassination, preying on the reputations of people in this
community and elsewhere. Nothing attracts more attention in Miami
than the “disclosure” of “Cuban spies.” Simmons has singled
out for attack academics and others who have long been known for
their academic and humanitarian contacts with Cuba and for favoring
an improvement in U.S.-Cuba relations. In Miami’s political
climate, these people are viewed by many as “controversial” and
therefore represent vulnerable and “believable” targets for such
attacks.

Just as Mr. Simmons is pursuing his livelihood by
drumming up publicity, so are Channel 41 and Oscar Haza, who have
provided a forum for, and indeed encouraged, Mr. Simmons’ baseless
accusations. Channel 41, and Mr. Haza in particular, have reached a
point in which they recognize no boundaries of shame and decency in
their pursuit of ratings.

To those who may support and applaud
these smear tactics because they may have the effect of intimidating
me, I assure you that you are mistaken. I will continue my
longstanding and outspoken support of a change in U.S. Cuba policy; I
will continue building relationships with colleagues and institutions
in Cuba; and I will continue to oppose attempts by the Florida
Legislature to curtail academic travel to Cuba. In fact, I intend to
pursue my work in those areas with even greater passion.

Lisandro
Pérez
Professor of Sociology at Florida International
University