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CUBA
NEWS
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Cubans-American leaders outraged by repatriation
of Cubans
MIAMI (AFP) - US authorities said they repatriated
a dozen Cubans intercepted at sea, prompting outrage
among Cuban-American leaders who claimed the group
included known dissidents who risked severe punishment.
A Coast Guard spokesman said 12 of 19 people
detained as they sought to enter the United States
illegally on July 28 were sent back to Cuba Monday.
The other seven were taken to the Guantanamo naval
base in Cuba -- a sprawling military installation
on the island's southeast coast -- pending processing
of their request for political asylum.
"Unfortunately, the world's biggest democracy
is at the service of the hemisphere's most ferocious
dictatorship," said Joe Garcia, executive
director of the influential Cuban-American National
Foundation.
"The one to suffer the political consequences
is the (US) president himself," Garcia told
AFP.
Although Miami's 700,000 Cuban-Americans are
generally considered key allies of President George
W. Bush (news - web sites), they have become increasingly
critical of the administration, following the
repatriation of a number of Cubans attempting
to flee their homeland.
In this case, Cuban-American leaders were particularly
upset since they believe most of the 19 people
intercepted last week were known dissidents who
risked prison at home.
Even the president's brother, Florida Governor
Jeb Bush, usually a staunch supporter of the administration,
last week criticized an earlier decision to send
back to Cuba 12 people who hijacked a boat in
a bid to flee Cuba.
"Given the environment in Cuba, it's just
not right," the governor said. In April,
Cuban authorities executed three men who hijacked
a ferry and tried to sail it to the United States.
At least one dissident, Belsy Cabrera, of the
30th of November movement, was, together with
her son, among the seven taken to Guantanamo.
"I am much happier now, but I am also sad
because they returned the majority to Cuba,"
said Cabrera's husband Adalberto Chavez, a dissident
who fled to Florida last year.
Under the so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot
policy" Cubans caught at sea are sent home,
but those who make it to land are allowed to remain
in the United States. So far this year, the US
Coast Guard has intercepted 886 Cubans at sea,
compared with 931 in all of 2002.
The repatriation side of the policy was introduced
by the administration of then-president Bill Clinton,
largely out of fear of a massive migration of
Cubans fleeing the communist-run island.
"Sadly, this administration continues to
enforce the policy of the past administration,"
said Garcia. "Once again the Cuban community,
which has shown biblical patience, is disappointed,"
he said.
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