The tired and drawn prisoners, accepted by Canada after
weeks of security and background checks, were joined by more
than a dozen of their family members.
"It is nice that I am a free man,'' said Armando Alonso
Romero, 43, who arrived alone but said his wife and children
were living in Miami.
Many of the exiles expressed their thanks to Pope John Paul
who called for clemency for prisoners of conscience during his
historic trip to Cuba in January. Cuba agreed to release them on
the condition they leave the communist-ruled Caribbean island.
"It was a good decision for Canada and the pope,'' said Dr.
Omar del Pozo Marrero. "This is a condition for liberty.''
Del Pozo Marrero is a well-known political dissident who has
been serving a 15-year jail term for "revealing state security
secrets.''
Rosalina Gonzales Lafita, who spent 10 years in prison after
she and her son stole a plane to win their freedom, said she was
almost not accepted by the Canadian government. "I don't know
anywhere else to go but Toronto.''
Canadian government officials had previously said only 11
prisoners were on the flight, with up two dozen dependents.
The exiles were also greeted by former prisoner, Ismael
Sambra, who came to Canada 10 months ago and wanted to come to
the airport to show his support. "Cuba is a big prison.
Everybody is in prison. It is a slow death.''
A total of 19 prisoners had originally been accepted by
Canada but the government later rejected five "due to the
nature of the acts for which they are in prison.''
Canada's Immigration Minister Lucienne Robillard said the
decision to refuse entry to the five was taken "only with the
greatest care and compassion ... keeping in mind responsibility
for the safety and health of Canadians, and Canada's obligations
under international treaties.''
One of the former prisoners leaving Monday, Edelberto del
Toro Argota, told reporters before going to the airport that he
had no choice but to go to Canada.
"I am leaving because I cannot live in peace here. I am
going so I can work and support my family,'' said del Toro, who
was released prior to Monday after serving a four-year sentence
for "enemy propaganda.''
Canada identified the 14 prisoners accepted by Canada as:
Jose Antonio Rodriguez Santana, Luis Alberto Ferrandiz Alfaro,
Alberto Joaquin Aguilera Guevara, Edilberto del Toro Argota,
Raul Ayarde Herrera, Adriano Gonzalez Marichal, Omar del Pozo
Marrero, Victor Reynaldo Infante Estrada, Armando Alonso Romero,
Rene Portelles Hernandez, Marcos Antonio Hernandez Garcia, Pedro
Marcelino de la Rosa Guerra, Pedro Salvador Benito Rodriguez and
Rosalina Gonzales Lafita.
Human rights campaigner Elizardo Sanchez said his commission
opposed sending the prisoners into exile as a condition for
their release. "Our position is to seek the unconditional
freedom of all political prisoners,'' he said.
Citing information from family members, Sanchez identified
the five prisoners rejected by Canadian authorities as Tomas
Ramos Rodriguez, Gustavo Rodriguez Sosa, Miguel Angel Fernandez
Crespo, Evelice Camejo Molerio and Arturo Suarez Ramos.
Cuba has said it already released 299 prisoners, including
political detainees, between Feb. 13 and 14. Sanchez said his
commission had only been able to confirm, through family
members, the release of 110 prisoners by the Cuban authorities
so far. They were being allowed to stay on the island.