CNN. May 25, 2000 . Web posted at: 12:12 PM EDT (1612 GMT)

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- Two Cuban doctors, among a group of 152 trying to relieve the crisis in Zimbabwe's state hospitals, were reported Thursday to have sought refuge at the Canadian Embassy here in a bid to defect.

Leonel Cordova, 31, and Noris Pena, 25, told Zimbabwe's independently-owned Daily News they were defecting "to fulfill lifelong dreams of leaving Cuba forever."

Cuban diplomat Javier Viamontes said the Cuban Embassy was unaware of the case. The Canadian Embassy was closed Thursday for a Zimbabwean public holiday and there was no one available for comment.

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

© 2000 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.

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