Rolando Marino Cordero Rodríguez was imprisoned for having relations with a minor and was classified as a “sexual predator”.
14ymedio, Havana, November 6, 2025 — United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 76-year-old Rolando Marino Cordero Rodríguez on October 25. Cordero, who arrived in the United States during the Mariel boatlift—the 1980 exodus of more than 125,000 Cubans by sea—was classified as a “sex predator.” According to journalist Javier Díaz, in 1985, Cordero was accused by the mother of a 17-year-old girl with whom he had a relationship. He served time and was released, but despite not reoffending, he remained with a record with that label.
Díaz explained that the Cuban, who has had a deportation order since 1997, “had heart surgery and has other illnesses.”
Cordero’s family is asking U.S. authorities to “give him a chance” and not send him back to the island. In an interview with a journalist, they stated that the detainee “wasn’t aware that he couldn’t be with a minor” and that it was considered a crime.
“After acknowledging his mistake, he was released from prison and never committed any further crimes,” the family members reiterated.
Díaz, who has closely followed these processes, warns that Cordero Rodríguez’s case is not isolated. In recent months, dozens of Cubans from Mariel—who have resided in the United States for decades—have been detained or notified by ICE due to old criminal records.
Among them is José Francisco García Rodríguez, 73, another Marielito arrested on March 31 at a Circle K store. García Rodríguez, who also arrived in 1980, was transferred to an immigration processing center in Pine Prairie, Louisiana, where he was detained for a week.
His stepdaughter, Christian Cooper Riggs, said the Cuban man feared being deported to Cuba, although it was unclear whether he had legal residency.
Although García was released days later, ICE continues to keep his future in limbo. “There’s still a lot to resolve,” acknowledged his stepson, Tyler García.
Christian Cooper Riggs, the Cuban man’s stepdaughter, emphasized: “The path ahead for our country regarding immigration is delicate. I believe we can protect our borders by analyzing individual cases. This is not a political issue, but a matter of humanity.”
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