Published Tuesday, March 13, 2001, in the Miami Herald

Woman Traumatized By Spy's Deceit

By SARA OLKON,

For a woman scorned by a Cuban spy, a judge awarded $7.1 million.

The real price of humiliation is immeasurable.

Ana Margarita Martinez spent close to four years with a man she met at Bible study class, only later to discover the man she loved and married lied to her every one of those days.

On Friday, the Miami judge who awarded her the grand sum said Cuba committed acts of sexual battery, torture and terrorism by orchestrating Juan Pablo Roque's sham marriage.

``It's just starting to sink in,'' Martinez said three days after the verdict. ``If I can't feel it or touch it, I won't feel like I have it.''

Martinez, 40, an executive secretary with two teenagers, said she hasn't decided what to do with all of the money. But she's got a few priorities: College tuition for her children and money for the care of her mother and grandmother. She said she's been in touch with several exile groups including the Group of Four and 30th of November.

``Cuba's future is in the hands of those risking their lives on a daily basis,'' she said.

Getting the money won't be easy. Her attorneys, relying on an anti-terrorism law, will go after frozen Cuban assets in this country, a transfer President Bush will have to approve.

There is precedent. Last month, the U.S. government transferred about $93 million, including interest, in frozen Cuba assets to three of the four families of the Brothers to the Rescue volunteers shot down.

Award aside, the deception has left its mark on Martinez. She said she has been in therapy for the five years since Roque abandoned her and returned to his homeland as a spy. She went off anti-depressants just two weeks ago.

Her ordeal began in 1992, after Roque swam to the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay and requested political asylum, claiming he had defected from the Cuban air force. At some point, Cuba assigned Roque to infiltrate the exile community. Once in Miami, he attended Martinez's church, University Baptist in Coral Gables.

``He was a complete gentleman,'' she said, recalling a courtship that began at a party thrown by members of the Bible study class.

They married in 1995. Eleven months later, her husband vanished from the Kendall home he shared with her and her two children. The next day, Cuba blew the two
Cessnas out of the sky.

Roque's allegiance was clear when he appeared on Cuban television, denouncing Brothers to the Rescue - which he joined during his time in Miami - as a terrorist
organization.

Her voice broke slightly when asked if she thought his feelings for her were ever genuine.

``I don't think he's capable of loving,'' she said. ``I think he's basically a robot. He does what he is told.''

Martinez hasn't spoken to her Roque since he took off; their marriage was later annulled. In 1997, he sent word through a relative.

The message: ``Forgive me. Have your kids forgive me. Go on with your life.''

His advice was not welcome.

``Who does he think he is?'' she said. ``He has the audacity to send this message? He realized that I was going to fight back.'' And she did.

She hopes the award hurts the Cuban government. As for Roque: ``He will never have peace in life.''

Copyright 2001 the Miami Herald.
Republished here with the permission of the Miami Herald. No further republication or redistribution is permitted without the written approval of The Miami Herald.