Monday, July 02, 2007

A 105-year-old Cuban celebrates U.S. citizenship

Posted on Sat, Jun. 30, 2007

IMMIGRATION
A 105-year-old Cuban celebrates U.S. citizenship

He survived 30 years of imprisonment in Cuba. He had two wives and eight
children. These days, he enjoys sitting outside his Normandy Isle home
rolling cigars for his neighbors.

But 105-year-old Jose ''El Niño'' Temprana had one childhood dream left
to fulfill: He wanted to become a U.S. citizen.

After two failed attempts, he got his wish on Friday.

Temprana was sworn in at the Miami Citizenship Center, surrounded by
neighbors and friends.

''I feel different,'' said Temprana, beaming. ``Satisfied, very happy.
It was worth the wait.''

Born in the Cuban province of Pinar del Río on Sept. 26, 1901, Temprana
worked as a sponge diver and lobster fisherman. Since the end of the
Spanish-American War, he admired the United States.

He had eight children with his first wife, who died giving birth to the
youngest. He later remarried.

In 1964, at age 63, he was imprisoned for smuggling arms from the United
States into Cuba for an insurrection against Fidel Castro. Temprana
acknowledged he was working for the CIA.

''He's very proud of it,'' said his friend Carlos Herrera. ``He even has
a CIA number.''

Temprana was imprisoned for the next three decades, mostly in western
Cuba, and was released at age 93. He applied for a humanitarian visa and
flew to Miami.

He settled down in Normandy Isle with his second wife, Dulce -- who died
in 2002 -- leaving two children behind in Cuba. A third son, Roberto,
settled in Miami as well. Temprana outlived his five other children.

When Temprana turned 100, he received the key to the city of Miami Beach
and got congratulatory calls from Gloria Estefan and then-Gov. Jeb Bush.

But even at 100, he still had one pending wish -- U.S. citizenship.

''I've wanted to it since I was 8 or 10 years old,'' Temprana said.
``But in Cuba, you couldn't do it.''

Two of his neighbors helped him fill out forms and navigate the system.
The first time, he was held up by paperwork issues. The second time, a
demanding interviewer foiled his plans.

But the third time was the charm.

At a celebratory reception organized by neighbors Friday afternoon at
the Hispanic Community Center in Miami Beach, Temprana sat back, sipped
champagne and enjoyed the moment. One of his friends gave him a
custom-made white shirt with a U.S. flag sewn on the front pocket.

''You're happy, huh?'' asked three women standing on the side.

''Yes, happy to see you, you look so pretty,'' answered Temprana, his
blue eyes twinkling.

Despite his age, he still charms younger women, said neighbor Sharon
Kersten.

''He was making a pass at me last week,'' Kersten said. 'He said `Come
here, give me a kiss.' ''

''He's just got a great spirit,'' said his neighbor Patti Hernandez, who
sees him as an adopted grandfather. ``Everybody's going, `Come on, he
can't really be that old.'''

Temprana lives a quiet life. He brews Cuban coffee in the mornings for
himself and his neighbors. He snacks on guava and cheese around 10 a.m.
He gets a hot lunch dropped off every day, but he doesn't eat much.

He rides his scooter through the back streets to the store, to play the
lotto. His friends drop by for cigars, which he rolls himself, and whiskey.

Phil Westra said he stops by regularly for Temprana's smooth, tasty
cigars -- although Westra doesn't speak Spanish, and Temprana's English
is very basic.

''You don't have to say much when you're smoking cigars and drinking
whiskey,'' Westra said.

Friends said they think Temprana's new girlfriend is 56 years old. He
says women in their 70s are too old for him.

The secret to his vitality? Hernandez thinks she knows.

'He always told me, `Never get angry over something you have no control
over. That's how I have lived this long.' ''

Temprana still has one big decision to make: whether he wants to be
buried in Florida, next to Dulce, or back in Cuba, his homeland. He
changes his mind often, Herrera said.

''Now that you're a U.S. citizen, are you going to go to Cuba?'' Herrera
asked him Friday.

''Well, are you going to give me the $500?'' Temprana joked.

As he prepares for his 106th birthday party in September, Temprana said
his new goal is to outlive Castro.

Said the new U.S. citizen: ``I'm going to pay for his burial.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/548/story/156268.html

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