United States

Former Cuban Prisoner Alan Gross Reacts to Castro's Death

A former Maryland aid worker who was detained in Cuba for five years reacted to the death of Fidel Castro.

Alan Gross spoke to NBC 6 on the phone about the impact Castro's death will have on Cuban Americans and the communist island. He said he was not shocked to hear of Castro's passing. Gross said he expected the former leader's death because of his failing health over the years.

"My condolences to his family and the people who loved him. I just don't know who they are and I don't think there are many of them," said Gross. He said he doesn't think it's appropriate to celebrate the death of Castro, saying that now is a time for reflection.

"Will it ever make things right that he's dead? The answer is "no"," said Gross. He doesn't believe there will be immediate change in Cuba.

Gross said since Fidel stepped down and his brother took power there have been minor changes, but added that when the regime takes one step forward, it takes two more steps backward, at times. "Raul Castro says he's going to retire in 2018, that's more than a year away. That's when I think things will start to change, " explained Gross.

The former aid worker was arrested by the communist government in 2009 for providing communication equipment to the Jewish community in Cuba. He was released from prison in December 2014 just as the White House announced it was normalizing relations with Havana.

Gross warns that if the Cuban government doesn't change soon, it will continue to fail. "I think that the government of Cuba will have to take a real hard look at itself to understand why it has such an inferiority complex that it can's stand any criticism whatsoever."

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