Chronicle on Cuba - January 2008
Terrorism
January 10: At the request of the government of President Álvaro Uribe, the Cuban government served as “international guarantor” in the release of Clara Rojas and Consuelo González, held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Cuban Ambassador to Venezuela Germán Sánchez was dispatched into the Guaviare jungle, where the hostages were handed over to representatives of the Red Cross and other institutions. Sanchez described the event as a historic development for Latin America. He thanked the Alvaro Uribe government and said that the heartbeat of the planet could be heard in Colombia during the release of the hostages. [Declaraciones de Germán Sánchez en video] (EER, ACN, 11/1/08)
January 13: The chief of the US Guantanamo Naval Base said he favors closing the prison at the Base as soon as possible because he believes negative publicity worldwide about treatment of terrorist suspects has been ''pretty damaging'' to the image of the United States. ''I'd like to see it shut down,'' Admiral Mike Mullen said in an interview with three reporters who toured the detention center with him on his first visit since becoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last October. His visit came two days after the sixth anniversary of the prison's opening in January 2002. He stressed that a closure decision was not his to make and that he understands there are numerous complex legal questions the administration believes would have to be settled first, such as where to move prisoners. (AP, 14/1/08) |
