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WORLD NEWSWednesday 10 February
Vietnam vet sues VA trying to get benefits living in Cuba
Humberto Macias, brother of Otto Macias, gestures during an interview in Havana, Cuba. Otto M. WEISSENSTEIN on the island, some of them
Macias fled the Cuban revolution for the U.S. at 19, then enlisted in the U.S. Army and went to fight Associated Press receiving U.S. government
as a machine-gunner in Vietnam. He returned from battle in 1969, broken, suffering from post- HAVANA (AP) — Otto Ma- benefits.
traumatic stress and schizophrenia, his family says. In 1980 he flew to Cuba to visit relatives he cias was 19 when he left Macias lives with his brother
hadn’t seen in decades. He never returned. Cuba in the throes of a so- in a modest apartment in a
cialist revolution, enlisted in high-rise in east Havana.
(AP Photo/Desmond Boylan) the U.S. Army and went to Psychologically stable af-
fight communists as a ma- ter years of treatment but
chine-gunner in Vietnam. suffering from skin cancer,
He returned from battle in he spends his days running
1969 — broken and suffer- small errands like buying
ing from post-traumatic bread, then watching tele-
stress and schizophrenia, vision or petting the fam-
his family says. After years ily’s graying dachshund.
of hospitalization in New Macias declined to speak
York, Macias, then a U.S. about his time in Vietnam.
citizen, was well enough in He said in Spanish that even
1980 to fly to Cuba to visit though he feels more Cu-
relatives he hadn’t seen in ban than American now,
decades. he remembers much of his
He never returned. time in the United States
As he stayed with family fondly and would enjoy vis-
in Havana, Macias’ hallu- iting New York again if he
cinations became so bad were physically able.
he required hospitalization “I’d like to go back,” he
and constant care from said.
doctors or loved ones, his A spokesman for the De-
relatives say. Less than a partment of Veterans Af-
year later, the U.S. Depart- fairs said he couldn’t com-
ment of Veterans Affairs ment on pending litigation
cut off his monthly pen- but noted the Treasury De-
sion of $60 — a large sum partment regulates pay-
for Cuba, where salaries ment of U.S. funds to other
today average about $25 countries.
a month. The U.S. agency The Treasury Department
never explained the cutoff, did not respond to a re-
but the family’s American quest for comment on Ma-
lawyer says he’s certain it cias’ case.
was because of the Unite Macias’ lawyer, New Mex-
States’ trade embargo on ico-based Jason Flores-
Cuba. Williams, said the veteran’s
Now, Macias’ family is su- pension was clearly cut off
ing the U.S. government because the U.S. embargo
seeking to reinstate the prohibits paying govern-
pension. They say President ment benefits to anyone
Barack Obama’s loosening living on the island.
of the embargo offers the But the lawyer said he be-
ailing 75-year-old a final lieves legal changes stem-
chance to regain his bene- ming from Obama’s 2014
fits and win the recognition declaration of detente
of the military service that with Cuba mean Macias
his adopted country has has a good chance at win-
denied him for 35 years. ning his case.
“It’s about justice,” said The Obama administration
Macias’ niece, Anitica. has allowed U.S. compa-
“He was on the battlefield nies to do limited business
... he dedicated his life to with the Cuban govern-
that. He mutilated his life. ment and lets Americans
He didn’t have a family be- send virtually unlimited
cause of it. They need to sums of money to Cubans
pay attention to him; they for purposes ranging from
owe him an explanation. helping relatives to sup-
They need to recognize porting a private business.
him.” “We would expect the
While Macias’ situation Obama administration
is highly unusual, even to support this litigation,”
unique, it could take on Flores-Williams said. “It
wider ramifications if the would be recognizing what
year-old detente between (Macias) has done for the
Washington and Havana United States and bringing
leads to more Cuban- this man dignity in the last
Americans returning to live years of his life.”q
