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| Senator Patrick Leahy leads US group to Cuba to seek release of Alan Gross | Senator Patrick Leahy leads US group to Cuba to seek release of Alan Gross |
| (8 days later) | |
| A delegation of American lawmakers led by Senator Patrick Leahy arrived in Cuba on Monday, in order to gauge the island's economic changes and to lobby on behalf of Alan Gross, an American whose detention has chilled relations between the two countries. The trip was the first to the Communist-run island by high-level US politicians since President Barack Obama's re-election in November. | A delegation of American lawmakers led by Senator Patrick Leahy arrived in Cuba on Monday, in order to gauge the island's economic changes and to lobby on behalf of Alan Gross, an American whose detention has chilled relations between the two countries. The trip was the first to the Communist-run island by high-level US politicians since President Barack Obama's re-election in November. |
| A year ago, another group of legislators led by Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, went to Cuba and met President Raul Castro. They also visited Gross, who was jailed in 2009 for illegally distributing communications equipment on the island while on a US-funded democracy-building program. | A year ago, another group of legislators led by Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, went to Cuba and met President Raul Castro. They also visited Gross, who was jailed in 2009 for illegally distributing communications equipment on the island while on a US-funded democracy-building program. |
| The current group led by Leahy will stress that freeing Gross, who is serving a 15-year sentence, is a crucial prerequisite for improved ties between the US and Cuba, a state department official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, lacking authorization to comment publicly about the sensitive visit. The lawmakers also hope to get a firsthand look at economic changes on the island, the official said, including the legalization of limited private enterprise, the creation of a real-estate market and the elimination of travel restrictions for most islanders. | The current group led by Leahy will stress that freeing Gross, who is serving a 15-year sentence, is a crucial prerequisite for improved ties between the US and Cuba, a state department official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, lacking authorization to comment publicly about the sensitive visit. The lawmakers also hope to get a firsthand look at economic changes on the island, the official said, including the legalization of limited private enterprise, the creation of a real-estate market and the elimination of travel restrictions for most islanders. |
| The delegation also includes the Republican senator Jeff Flake, the Democrat senators Sherrod Brown, Debbie Stabenow and Sheldon Whitehouse and the Democratic congressmen Jim McGovern (Massachusetts) and Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, Gross's home state. The group arrived Monday and is scheduled to leave early Wednesday. It was not clear with whom they will meet, or if they will be granted permission to see Gross. | The delegation also includes the Republican senator Jeff Flake, the Democrat senators Sherrod Brown, Debbie Stabenow and Sheldon Whitehouse and the Democratic congressmen Jim McGovern (Massachusetts) and Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, Gross's home state. The group arrived Monday and is scheduled to leave early Wednesday. It was not clear with whom they will meet, or if they will be granted permission to see Gross. |
| Cuba has said it is willing to consider releasing Gross, but in return it wants Washington to negotiate over the fate of five Cuban intelligence agents sentenced to long jail terms in the United States. Washington has said publicly that a swap is not in the cards. | Cuba has said it is willing to consider releasing Gross, but in return it wants Washington to negotiate over the fate of five Cuban intelligence agents sentenced to long jail terms in the United States. Washington has said publicly that a swap is not in the cards. |
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