Letters to the Editor

•Castro must have nuclear weapons the United States is afraid of; otherwise why would we go around the world to make wars against tyrants and do nothing against this jerk who is 90 miles away?

•If we complain enough, maybe someone will hear us. It's funny, I see movies about Hitler from 50 years ago so it will never happen again, yet something that is happening right now is okay and we are just nuisances.

•The United States has denounced Cuba thousands of times for human rights violations yet it's okay to send back this kid because he had a good relationship with his father.

•We are alone. Cuba is only important to Cubans.

•As far as Castro goes, we are intransigent.

I'll tell you something, New Times, I'm going to be watching you like a hawk. Expect to hear more of our side of the story.

Elian: Don't Generalize About My People
Hector D. Morales
Miami

As an exiled Cuban I can say the biggest truth about all this is that Elian has been used as a political puppet by sectors of the exile community who long to rule Cuba "when Castro falls." Here are other things that are true:

•Not all Cuban exiles think the same way. I believe Elian should go back, and I have found more than a few who agree. So please do not generalize when talking about Cuban exiles.

•Some of my fellow countrymen are totally confused about when an issue belongs to the politicians of this country and when the issue belongs to the INS. They do not help matters by turning a family matter into a political circus.

•The only mistake the INS made was acting with its heart by sending this boy to his relatives here in Miami. The result is that next time a similar situation arises, the INS won't publicize it and will just send the child to the proper institutions until repatriation can take place.

He Came, He Lunched, He Left
Felonious former Miami City Manager Cesar Odio has been spending his free time hanging around Miami Beach. And you want to know why?
By Ted B. Kissell, January 13, 2000

Erratum

Owing to a reporting error, Ted B. Kissell's story "He Came, He Lunched, He Left" (January 13) incorrectly stated that former City of Miami finance director Manohar Surana had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion and bribery. Surana did sign a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in 1996, though the Miami U.S. Attorney's Office will not comment on its terms. Surana has not yet entered any plea in court. New Times regrets the error.