Miami Herald

January 10, 1966

Marchers Urge Release of Exile

 

Three dozen Cuban exiles quietly marched on the Dade county jail Sunday morning, picketing for the release of a fellow revolutionary charged with placing a bomb under a Spanish freighter.

Subject of the freedom plea was Jose Rodriguez Perez, 38, who was arrested by FBI agents last month and charged with putting a mine on the Satrustegui, a ship moored in San Juan October 9.

The marching Cubans, all members of the revolutionary Recovery Insurrectional Movement (MIRR) carried placards in English and Spanish. They were warned by sheriff's deputies not to sing or shout to disturb other prisoners.

Dr. Orlando Bosch, MIRR head, led the 45-minute demonstration.

Bosch also has had a run-in with the FBI. Currently he is free on a $5,000 bond on a charge of conspiracy to extort money from other exiles in South Florida to fight the Fidel Castro regime. Bosch has denied the charges.

Rodriguez Perez, who agents say bombed the ship because it did business with Cuba, could be fined $10,000 or imprisoned for up to 20 years if convicted.

The ship exploded but none of the 210 passengers and crewmen were injured.