Dentists free at last

Posted on Fri, Mar. 17, 2006

Dentists free at last
OUR OPINION: CUBA STILL BLOCKS THE EXIT OF OTHER HOSTAGES

Marialys Darias Mesa and David González Mejías are finally free,
reunited with family in Florida. The Cuban dentists were detained
inappropriately for 10 months in a Bahamas immigration prison. Both had
been granted legal visas to immigrate to the United States, but Cuba
denied them exit permits. Ms. Darias and Mr. González escaped by taking
to the seas. But 533 Cubans with U.S. visas remain behind, prisoners of
a regime that will not allow them to leave legally.

The Bahamian government ultimately made the right decision to release
the dentists. Pressure from the U.S. State Department and Florida's
Congress members, particularly Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers, helped.
Now the dentists won't be an issue during Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice's visit to the Bahamas next week.

As Americans we are so accustomed to liberties and rights that we often
take them for granted. Sometimes it takes a newcomer to point out how
precious they are. ''For the first time in my life I feel that I am free
and can determine my destiny,'' Ms. Darias said after reuniting with her
husband on Tuesday. Yet their battles aren't over. They will have to
struggle to get Cuba to allow María Laura, their 5-year-old daughter, to
join them here.

María Laura will likely join the 533 others -- those who have U.S. visas
but are blocked from leaving Cuba, according to the U.S. Interests
Section in Havana. More than 100 of them are medical professionals and,
like María Laura's parents, are considered indispensable. Some 200
others are being held back because of alleged connections with
high-profile deserters. Former intelligence officer José Cohen, for
example, escaped Cuba in 1994. His wife and children are still waiting
for exit permits. Cuba's revenge is to hold relatives hostage.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/14118900.htm