Alan Gross, a 62-year-old man from Maryland, was arrested in Cuba two years ago on suspicion of “undercover activities,” according to Cuban officials. They say he was part of a program designed to “disrupt the constitutional order in Cuba,” and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Gross has denied these claims, saying he was trying to assist the island’s Jewish community obtain internet access.
U.S. lawmakers and Gross’ family called for his release at the two-year anniversary of his arrest. They offered Rene Gonzalez, a Cuban spy who served 13 years in a U.S. prison, as exchange for Gross. Cuban officials rejected the offer. U.S. officials have now appealed on humanitarian grounds. Gross has lost more than 100 pounds in prison, and his mother and daughter are both fighting cancer.
