Spain unlikely to take more political prisoners from Cuba after Friday, government says

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Friday, 04.08.11
Spain unlikely to take more political prisoners from Cuba after Friday, government says
The 37 former prisoners and about 200 relatives who arrived Friday in Madrid were the last, according to the Spanish government.

By Juan O. Tamayo
[e-mail]

Cuba’s release of political prisoners has ended at 115, the Spanish government said Friday, drawing strong objections from human rights activists in Havana that at least 50 remain in the island’s prisons.

The Spanish government announced the end of the release program started last summer just hours before 37 former prisoners and about 200 of their relatives landed in Madrid aboard a jetliner chartered to fly them into exile.

They brought the total number of Cuban prisoners freed to 115, including 103 who were taken directly from Cuban prisons to the Havana airport along with 647 family members, and 12 who refused what they call the “banishment” to Spain.

Spain’s announcement said the Friday arrival marked the end of the prisoner releases but gave no further details. Neither Cuba’s Catholic Church, which handled part of the process, nor the Cuba government had any immediate comment.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/08/2157794/spain-unlikely-to-take-more-political.html