The Last Soldiers of the Cold War

July 20, 2015
In a tale that straddles the Straits of Florida, Brazilian journalist Morais recounts the story of the Wasp Network, a cadre of 14 spies from Cuba sent by Fidel Castro to Dade County, Fla., to infiltrate anti-Castro groups. Personal histories of both minor and major players share the limelight with the usual spy tropes and moral ambiguity as Morais culls details from over three dozen interviews with the parties involved. He includes such figures as Cruz Leon, a young mercenary from El Salvador contracted to plant bombs in tourist hotels, who thought of himself as a real-life Sylvester Stallone; and Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who was sent to personally deliver a message from Castro to President Clinton. Morais employs a thriller-like pace, addressing the historical context of Clinton-era politics and presenting a riveting, crystal-clear picture of a story otherwise made murky by media with its own agenda. The book, entertaining in its own right, also serves as a reminder that the Cold War extended beyond the fall of the Berlin Wall and that ingenuity often trumps material resources.

Starred review from May 15, 2015

December 17, 2014 brought a new era to U.S.-Cuba relations, with the proposed easing of American sanctions on Cuba. But the day also brought the last of the Cuban Five home from American prisons. Their story, overshadowed by ongoing diplomatic issues with the two nations, is fully explored by writer and journalist Morais (Paulo Coelho). Previously published in both Brazil and Cuba, the book follows 14 members of the Wasp Network, 12 men and two women who operated as Cuban spies infiltrating anti-Castro organizations in south Florida. The group was active in espionage after 1992 and five members were brought to trial in 1998. They began serving various federal prison sentences in 2000 and the last three were finally freed in exchange for American contractor Alan Gross after December 17. Much of the time the book reads like a spy novel complete with accounts of anti-Castro operatives in Cuba, whose story has yet to be told. VERDICT Morais is to be applauded for bringing the full story to light after years of interviews and research. This work stands alone in the continuing saga of Cuban-American history, past and present.--Boyd Childress, formerly with Auburn Univ. Libs., AL

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.