The family of a Cuban man accused of spying says that if he is mistreated they will make public the information he gave them.
They say he is ill and should not stand trial.

BY CHARLES RABIN

A day before Omelio Angulo is to stand trial in Cuba for espionage, relatives in Miami admitted he was trying to pass along information about the military, but they say they don't know why.

Family members at a news conference Tuesday at their Southwest Miami-Dade home also tried to portray Angulo as being medically unfit to stand trial, claiming he has attempted suicide at least three times -- once while trying to get through military school in 1979, another time while he was in jail.

''I have no idea'' why Omelio was trying to pass along sensitive information, said Enrique Angulo, Omelio's brother and the man he was trying to get the information to. ``I'm not politically involved or related to any organization.''

Enrique said it's not the first time Omelio has sent him sensitive documents.

''I have received a lot of information,'' he said.

Enrique Angulo, 40, says he is the chief executive of American Health Systems, a West Flagler company that helps people with their medical needs.

In late March, Maria Cardoso, Omelio's sister, and the man she calls her husband, Arcel Cardoso, took their two daughters on a two-week trip to Camagüey to visit relatives. Public records show Arcel is married to another woman. The Herald could not find any records showing a marriage between him and Maria.

Omelio asked Maria to take some letters back to Enrique. She stuffed them in her bra, but they were discovered at the airport before she left.

Four Cardosos were initially held, but Maria's two daughters were quickly freed and flew back to Miami. Maria and Arcel were jailed, in separate cells, from April 8 to Aug. 29. Omelio was also jailed.

Maria said that with no warning Cuban authorities visited her cell on Aug. 29 and told her she was free to go.

Maria and Arcel Cardoso are U.S. residents, not citizens, so the U.S. government could not get directly involved in the case.

A REVERSAL

Maria now admits she was taking letters and photographs from Omelio back to Miami for Enrique. And she says that contrary to statements she made in September, she knows what was in the letters. She would not disclose that information, except to say they included photos of military sites.

On Tuesday, Maria threatened to go public with the contents of the letters and photographs if the Cuban government doesn't enter it as evidence during her brother's trial. He could face 10 years in prison.

''Why won't the letter be in court tomorrow?'' asked Maria. ``Because it's too important for the Cuban government? I want to let the Cuban government know that if they don't treat my brother right, I'm going to say everything in the letter.''

The Cuban Interests Section in Washington did not return phone calls Tuesday.

NOT FORTHCOMING

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who originally said she would press the U.S. government on the Cardosos' behalf, said last month she had reservations about the family's ordeal because they had not been forthcoming on what was in the letter.

Ros-Lehtinen could not be reached Tuesday.

Omelio's mother, Mercedes Borrero -- also at the press conference with Omelio's father, Omelio Angulo -- produced papers she said were from a Cuban hospital that showed her son tried to commit suicide in August 1997.

She claimed he tried to do the same in 1979 while training to join the Cuban military, and once recently, while in jail.

''I can't sleep anymore,'' Mercedes Borrero said.

She said Omelio went to therapy for years after the initial suicide attempt. ``He couldn't control himself in military school. He couldn't make it. He was too hyper.''

Still, say family members, they have no idea why Omelio was trying to pass along information -- including photos of military sites -- forbidden in Cuba.

''He isn't a spy,'' said Maria's son Ruben Manzo, 23. ``He was trying to let my uncle know what is going on in Cuba. He knows a lot of people from there, and he was just trying to pass along information to my uncle.''

Herald staff writer Elaine De Valle contributed to this report.