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Three More Freed Cuban Dissidents Arrive in Spain

   VOA News 17 August 2010
   Cuban  dissident  Marcelo  Manuel  Cano  Rodriguez, right, hugs former
   Cuban  prisoner  Manuel  Ubals  Gonzalez,  left, upon his arrival at a
   hotel in Madrid, 17 Aug 2010

Photo: AP

   Cuban  dissident  Marcelo  Manuel  Cano  Rodriguez, right, hugs former
   Cuban  prisoner  Manuel  Ubals  Gonzalez,  left, upon his arrival at a
   hotel in Madrid, 17 Aug 2010

   Another three Cuban dissidents are free, the result of a deal brokered
   by Spain and the Roman Catholic Church last month.
   The  three  dissidents  arrived in Madrid on Tuesday accompanied by 15
   family  members.   Spanish  officials  say  three more dissidents are
   expected  to  arrive  in  the  coming  days, bringing the total number
   released under the landmark deal to 26.
   Cuba has agreed to free a total of 52 of the 75 prisoners sentenced to
   lengthy   prison   terms  following  a  government  crackdown  on  the
   opposition in 2003.
   Last  month, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos predicted
   that  Cuba would improve its relations with the European Union and the
   United States if it frees all its political prisoners.
   Moratinos  told  the  Spanish  parliament that the releases would have
   "political  consequences"  and could eventually lead to the lifting of
   the decades-old U.S. embargo against Cuba.
   Cuba  has  said  it  holds  no political prisoners, only what it calls
   "mercenaries"  who Havana claims are working with the United States to
   undermine Cuban communism.
   The  U.S.  and  Cuba do not have formal diplomatic relations, but have
   interests sections that are technically part of the Swiss embassies in
   each other's capitals.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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