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Couple accused of being Cuban agents

The Florida International University psychology prof and his wife face charges that are short of espionage.

MIAMI - A Florida International University professor and his wife, a social work coordinator at the university, appeared in federal court Monday on accusations that for decades they used their academic positions as cover to spy for Cuba's communist government.

Carlos Alvarez, 61, a psychology professor, and Elsa Alvarez, 51, are charged with acting as agents of Cuba without registering with the U.S. government. They were arrested Friday.

They were ordered held without bail Monday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea Simonton. Neither entered a plea. Another hearing is set for Jan. 19.

U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said the Alvarezes gave voluntary statements to the FBI in the summer detailing longtime contacts with Cuba's directorate of intelligence. He said Carlos Alvarez had spied for Cuba since 1977 and his wife since 1982.

"We believe the statements are, in fact, a confession," Acosta said.

Each could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. Neither was charged with the more serious offense of espionage, and FBI agents said there is no evidence they provided classified or military information to Cuba or were paid by Cuba.

Acosta said they provided information about the U.S. political situation, public opinion, prominent Cuban-Americans opposed to Fidel Castro's government and the name of at least one FBI agent.

"Whenever information is transmitted by spies to the government of Cuba, that endangers the United States," Acosta said.

Brian Frazier, an assistant U.S. attorney, said the two worked with an encryption system provided by Cuba to communicate via short-wave radio. They made trips to Cuba to meet with handlers, hid messages in secret briefcase compartments and used post office boxes in remote locations for information drops, he said.

"These were highly placed and very well-regarded operatives in the United States," Frazier said.

Alvarez is identified on the Florida International Web site as an associate professor in the educational leadership and policy studies department. Elsa Alvarez is described as a coordinator in the social work training program, specializing in psychological treatment, crisis intervention and group psychotherapy.

Carlos Alvarez also organized student exchange trips to Cuba, prosecutors said.

FIU officials did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

In August, the Miami convictions and sentences of five alleged Cuban spies were thrown out by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled they were unfairly tried because of intense publicity, community prejudice and inflammatory remarks by prosecutors. The full court vacated that ruling and will rehear arguments.

The five admitted being agents of Cuba but insisted they were spying on Cuban exiles opposed to President Castro, not on the United States.

[Last modified January 10, 2006, 01:51:15]