Miami Herald
Feb. 4, 1980. p. 4b.
By Ileana Oroza and Dan Williams
Herald Staff Writers
The congregations sang out words of the hymn, Because He is Great. As if on cue, in strode Manuel Espinosa, pastor and self-proclaimed unmasker of Cuban spies.
Sunday, Espinosa, fresh from last week’s sudden flip-flop from being the loudest supporter of exile dialogue with the Cuban government to being its harshest critic, had surprises for his Hialeah flock in his sermon.
Espinosa said he soon would resign as pastor from his Christian Evangelical Reform Church and turn over the church he founded to assistant pastor Pablo Gonzalez.
He then promised to release more information Tuesday about the operations of Castro intelligence agents and new revelations on “contraband” being sent to Cuba from South Florida in defiance of the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.
“You will see the reasons and the means by which contraband is going to Cuba, while our people are not even getting tires for their cars,” he said.
The bearded Espinosa spoke slowly, in contrast to his rat-a-tat delivery ad a press conference last Thursday when he named more than 25 alleged “agents, collaborators and sympathizers” of the Cuban government in South Florida. He did not document any of those charges.
Sunday, Espinosa said he would present documents Tuesday to prove that goods are being sent illegally to Cuba.
He also promised to reveal the “truth about the key to the city of Hialeah” that was given last year by Mayor Dale Bennett to a member of the Cuban Communist Party.
“Get good seats,” he advised his chuckling congregation. But he announced neither the time nor the place for the press conference.
The turnout Sunday at his church at 1890 W. Fourth Ave. was low – about a third of the seats were filled – compelling Espinosa to excuse the absence of the churchgoers.
“Some had personal problems,” he said. “And I told some not to come because the church has many agents whom I will expose by name.”
At that, the 100 or so churchgoers in the pink-walled converted warehouse gasped. But their sighs soon turned to cries of “Glory to God” and “Amen” as Espinosa promised to fight for the “complete liberty for Cuba and true family reunification.”
“He has a goal to reach,” said Rafaela Pascual, 68, who has been a church member for the past four years. “The reunification of the Cuban families and the liberation of Cuba. And we support him.”
Pascual, and the rest of the congregation, applauded in support when Espinosa said his “controversial political position” was forcing him to resign as pastor.