EU politicians expelled from Cuba

[trebizond]

EU politicians expelled from Cuba (BBC)

Cuba has expelled two European Union politicians visiting Havana to address a rare pro-democracy conference.

Czech Senator Karel Schwarzenberg and german MP Arnold Vaatz were seized by police and driven to havana airport.

Thepair were due to address a meeting of dissidents opposed to the Communist rule of Cuban President Fidel castro.

The EU, which has called for 61 jailed dissidents to be released, will decide next month whether to impose sanctions against Cuba for human rights abuses.

...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4565071.stm

[lumpy]

1. Cuban using US method

of expelling dissidents with sedition on their minds : escort them to the airport, no explaination necessary.

[Moderator]

2. kick

[chlamor]

3. Cuba Expels Visiting Politicians on Eve of Dissident Meeting

Cuba expels visiting politicians on eve of dissident meeting
By David Usborne

21 May 2005

Cuba was the target of fierce criticism from European governments after it summarily expelled two visiting politicians, one from Germany, the other from the Czech Republic, on the eve of a gathering in Havana of dissident opponents to the communist regime of President Fidel Castro.

Karel Schwarzenberg, the Czech senator, and the German parliamentarian Arnold Vaatz, were seized by security agents at their hotel on Thursday and escorted to Havana's airport to fly back to Europe. The action prompted formal objections yesterday from German and Czech officials.

This latest drama came at the end of especially tense week. About 500 dissidents are expected to attend the Assembly for the Promotion of Civil Society in Cuba. Barring a last-minute crackdown, it was due to take place in the back garden of Felix Bonne, a veteran critic of President Castro. It was described as the largest such meeting of anti-regime activists ever held since Castro came to power.

On Monday, President Castro led a march of tens of thousands through the capital to protest against the presence in the US of one of his oldest foes, Luis Posada Carriles. Mr Posada is wanted in Venezuela, increasingly a Cuban ally, in connection with the 1973 downing of a Cuban airliner . He has since been arrested and charged with illegally entering the US.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=640065

[guajira]

4. Were they sent to Bangor Maine??

If they came here to plan overthrow of US gov't, their asses woud be thrown in jail, possibly they would get their wish to go to Cuba (Guantanamo)!!

[Robbien]

5. These two did a stupid thing

They were holding diplomatic passports but visitors visas. When entering Cuba they kept saying they were diplomats and wanted diplomatic treatment, but only had visitors visas and claimed not to be in Cuba on a diplomatic mission.

One doesn't enter a high security country if they don't plan on keeping their story straight.