Cuba Demonstrations

I was particularly moved by the testimony of Arquimedes Leyva Gonzalez (Platform, March 9). The three actions taken by the “anti-demonstrators” seem to copy the methods of the pre-Castro dictator Batista.

The anger of the United States government at the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue airplanes is a bit disingenuous. A few years ago, we shot down an Iranian airliner and the Russians shot down a Korean airliner, each incident causing the death of more than a hundred persons. I don’t remember anyone insisting that either incident was a provocation for war. The only reason the Miami Cubans are being mollified is that it is an election year and everyone wants their money and votes.

M. STEPHEN SHELDON

Studio City