The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie was adamant yesterday that the government “was caught between a rock and a hard place” as it petitioned several countries to accept Cuban nationals Carlos Pupo and Lazaro Seara Marin during their nearly three year imprisonment in The Bahamas.

These countries included the United States, Cuba, Panama and Sweden.

The prime minister said as far as he was concerned, the government acted effectively to find options to make a decision, adding that in a last-ditch effort he wrote to Cuban President Raul Castro pleading for the island nation to welcome the men. However, he said, this request was ignored.

Mr Christie further questioned why The Bahamas, a country with no connection to Mr Pupo and Mr Marin, would have to accept them, allow freedom of movement and be held responsible for any manifestations of bad behaviour.

This, he said, was what the government was attempting to avoid.

Mr Christie spoke on the matter in the House of Assembly where debate raged on yesterday over the circumstances surrounding the detention and release of the men from custody last week.

Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell has claimed directives were given to public prosecutors that the men were considered national security risks and they should remain in custody. Mr Mitchell has said this was and has always been the position of the government.

Attempts were made as recent as this year to have the men granted asylum by another country, Mr Mitchell added.

“It was then clear that the American government refused all efforts to accommodate the persons who had lived and had status in the United Stated of America,” Mr Christie told Parliament. “They had for their own security purpose refused. The Cuban government who was the place of origin of these gentlemen refused.

“The Panamanian government, that has accorded the Bahamas a great degree of accommodation and have received many sub-nationals from the Bahamas, refused. Other representations to other governments were not responded to.”

He continued: “(I) advised my colleagues that I would make one final effort by making a personal request of the President Raul Castro of Cuba in a letter under my signature to the president explaining the difficulty of the Bahamas in such a situation and hoping that the president would take that under consideration. His country being able to more effectively accommodate these persons (than) our county and if he would help the Bahamas in being able to receive the persons concerned.

“At all material times we were concerned about the security of our citizens and our country,” Mr Christie added. “But we knew that we were caught between a rock and a hard place and so those were the circumstances.

“Every effort is made by the government of the Bahamas recognising that people ought not to remain in custody to find accommodation elsewhere in the world for them. If our neighbour does not want them, if the place of origin does not want them, then we make an effort. No one wants them.

“How is it that the Bahamas, with no connection to them, have to be in a position where we have to accept them and (they) walk freely around our country and taking responsibility for any manifestation of misbehaviour that takes place. That is what we were trying to avoid at all costs.”

Mr Christie said he regretted having to discuss this matter in the public domain, as it is not customary for countries to do so.

However he said given the recent events of the last few days and the politics of this country, the situation had to play out this way.

Immigration records

According to Mr Mitchell, Mr Marin, 39, born in Camaguey, Cuba was turned in to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre on March 20, 2013. He was one of nine other Cubans arrested in Kemp’s Bay, Andros.

He was interviewed by refugee administration but found not to qualify, Mr Mitchell said.

Within nearly four months of arriving at the Detention Centre, a deportation order was signed to facilitate Mr Marin’s transportation to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

“While at the Detention Centre he actively participated in ongoing commotions with intelligence reports marking subject as a principal instigator and disrupter. Because of his activities and his previous service in the Cuban military he was considered a flight risk and therefore he was transferred to the Department of Corrections, a more secure facility,” the Fox Hill MP said.

“He was an alien resident of the US since 1994, he did not qualify for refugee status. A diplomatic note was sent to the Cuban authorities requesting that he be allowed to return to Cuba. He was also on a list dated August 26, 2013 asking that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seek assistance in returning him to the US. He was not allowed to return to either country.”

Mr Mitchell said in a subsequent report it was noted that Mr Marin has a criminal record in the US which hindered his eligibility to re-enter and that record was also a barrier to Untied Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as siting in a third country resettlement.

Carlos Pupo

The minister said Mr Pupo first came to the Department of Immigration’s attention when he was arrested with a group of six other Cuban nationals on August 18, 2000.

Mr Mitchell said there is no record of where he was arrested and by whom and neither is there a profile on him as he escaped on his way to the Detention Centre on the same day of his arrest.

Mr Pupo was again arrested by Defence Force marines on August 17, 2007 and turned over to immigration officials.

“He was in possession of a Florida driver’s license and a US alien resident card. He was repatriated to the US on August 21, 2007 and placed on the Immigration Department’s restricted list.

“(On May 13, 2013) subject was arrested at Sandy Point, Abaco, by police and charged with illegal landing at the Magistrate’s Court on that island.”

“He was fined $300 or (ordered to) serve three months at the Department of Corrections. The fine was paid.”

Mr Mitchell said he was set to be repatriated to the US. However, the US withdrew its support and denied the repatriation. Instead Mr Pupo was sent to Nassau and committed to the Detention Centre, Mr Mitchell said.

According to the Fox Hill MP, he too was transported to the prison after a deportation order was signed for his removal from the detention centre because he incited an uprising and attempted to escape.

Mr Mitchell said a diplomatic note was sent to the Cuban government requesting that he be allowed to return there. Mr Pupo was also named on a list dated August 26, 2013 asking that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seek assistance in returning him to the US.

However, he was not allowed to return to either country, Mr Mitchell said.