Ivette González Salanueva awarded Japanese scholarship for master's studies

Ivette González Salanueva, daughter of former Cuban intelligence agent René González, has been awarded a scholarship from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to pursue a master’s degree at Ritsumeikan University in Japan.

González Salanueva, a specialist at the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, will participate in the ‘Global Leaders for Sustainable Development Goals’ program. The scholarship covers tuition, airfare, and a monthly stipend for two years. Her father, a former member of the Wasp Network, defended her on social media against media criticism, asserting that she won the scholarship through an open competition facilitated by her workplace.

The news has drawn attention due to the family's history; González was previously sentenced to 15 years in a U.S. prison and was a central figure in Cuban state propaganda during his incarceration.