Biography
René González was born in Chicago. He grew up in a workingclass family that immigrated from Cuba to the U.S. In 1961 his parents returned to Cuba with their two sons. From 1977 to 1979, González served in Angola and was decorated for bravery. From 1979 to 1982 he studied aviation and graduated as a pilot and flight instructor. He married Olga Salanueva Arango. They have two daughters, 22-year-old Irma, and eight-year-old Ivette. In 1998, a few months before his arrest, Ivette was born. René’s wife Olga has been banned entry to the U.S. by U.S. authorities. Thus she and Ivette are cruelly denied the right to see him. He is writing a book on the irregularities and violations that the
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Cuban Five were denied the right to see him. He is writing a book on the irregularities and violations that the Cuban Five were subjected to in the trial. González received a fifteen-year prison sentence, was held at F.C.I. Marianna, Florida, and was released from federal custody on October 7, 2011 to begin supervised release.
Workers World reports the September 23, 2006 Washington rally for the Cuban Five and marks eight years since their September 12, 1998 arrests. The campaign report does not establish a new detention or alter the five men’s individually different sentences. Workers World, October 5, 2006, vol.48 no.39, original PDF page 3. Source: https://www.workers.org/pdf/2006/ww100506.pdf#page=3
His initial appellate brief in Eleventh Circuit case 01-17176-B records an indictment returned on October 2, 1998 and a second superseding indictment returned on May 7, 1999. It identifies his personal charges as the Count 1 conspiracy concerning unregistered Cuban-agent activity and defrauding US governmental functions, and Count 15 acting as an agent of Cuba without prior notification to the Attorney General. The brief states that he pleaded not guilty on October 5, 1998 and May 20, 1999, and that the jury convicted him on both Counts 1 and 15 on June 8, 2001. The identified district judge was Joan A. Lenard. Its account of the FBI evidence attributes the code names Castor and Iselin to González. The brief reports his completed sentencing hearing on December 13–14, 2001, with consecutive five-year and ten-year terms; it does not establish a new actual release date.
Source 1 ; Source 2 ; Source 3 ; Source 4 ; Source 5 ; Source 6 ; Source 7.
On June 22, 2012, his attorney renewed a motion asking to let him complete supervised release in Cuba. The filing confirms his October 7, 2011 prison release and distinguishes continued supervision from incarceration. It is a request, not an order granting return. District court filing 1826, pp.1–3,18–19.
The FBI announcement independently confirms his September 12, 1998 arrest and the existing birth date.
FBI announcement in Congressional Record; official Congressional Record.
