ICE Deports Cuban Spy Who Infiltrated Dissident Communities

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the deportation of Fernando Armando Valdés Pérez, a Cuban national who had fraudulently obtained a U.S. Green Card. Valdés Pérez, 61, previously resided in Kendall, Florida, and concealed his ties to the Cuban communist regime to gain lawful permanent resident status in the United States. Investigators revealed that he was an intelligence asset for the Castro regime, tasked with infiltrating and spying on Cuban exile and dissident communities in both Latin America and the United States since the mid-1990s. Valdés Pérez was arrested on July 10 during an immigration enforcement action at Miami International Airport, which involved ICE, the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Matthew Elliston, the Miami Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations, emphasized the threat posed by individuals who exploit the immigration system while concealing ties to foreign intelligence services. Valdés Pérez was deported on August 7, although ICE did not specify whether he was returned to Cuba or sent to a third country. His history included gaining the trust of prominent anti-communist activist Luis Posada Carriles, with whom he maintained close relationships until his arrest. Reports indicate that Valdés Pérez organized significant events for Posada Carriles, including his last birthday party. Cuban dissident Orlando González expressed suspicions about Valdés Pérez's intentions, recalling how he seemed to have unusual access to Panamanian authorities during visits to detained dissidents. Other members of the Cuban exile community also reported distrust towards Valdés Pérez, who had developed a facade of trust and affection among them. The deportation of Valdés Pérez follows ICE's recent announcement regarding the removal of Rafael José Quero Silva, a Venezuelan military colonel accused of human rights abuses under the Maduro regime.