Oct 04, 2010

AP: Cuban exiles coming to U.S. from Spain; other inmates may go free
04:23 PM

The State Department is working to bring to the United States most of the 39 Cuban political prisoners who were exiled to Spain this summer, the Associated Press is reporting. More than 100 family members would join them.

A senior official, who AP said spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the unannounced program, said that the first case has been processed already and that nearly all are likely to accept the offer.

AP writes that the plan "gets around a Catch-22 whereby Cubans who left the island were no longer considered in harm's way, and thus not eligible for traditional asylum requests in the U.S."

In July and August, 52 prisoners were freed under a deal that Spain's government brokered between Cuba and the Catholic Church. Of those, 39 were exiled to Spain with their families, and one has settled in Chile.

Separately, AP reports on nine Cuban inmates apparently offered early release if they go into exile. Some are convicted of violent crimes such as hijacking, assault and piracy, according to a human rights advocate quoted.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... -go-free/1