Andres Oppenheimer. aoppenheimer@herald.com. Published
Friday, November 17, 2000, in the Miami Herald
MEXICO CITY -- More than seven weeks after an international scandal over the
deportation of a Cuban intelligence officer who was seeking political asylum in
Mexico, senior Mexican officials say the former Cuban spy is in a Havana prison
awaiting formal charges.
Despite pleas by human rights groups that fear for the life of Pedro Riera
Escalante, Mexico has not asked the Cuban government for an interview with him,
nor has had any direct contact with him, Mexican officials said.
"I have received instructions to follow the case, but I can't do much
more than that because he is not a Mexican national,'' Mexico's ambassador to
Cuba Heriberto Galindo told The Herald in a telephone interview from Havana. "He
is Cuban.''
Galindo suggested he has made informal inquiries with Cuban officials and
was assured that the prisoner is in good health.
"We have expressed our interest that his human rights be respected, and
we have received assurances that that's the case,'' he said.
Other Mexican officials familiar with the case say Riera Escalante is being
held in the Villa Marista state security prison, and has been allowed to talk to
relatives. He has not been charged, one senior Mexican diplomat said. Cuba has
declined to comment on Riera Escalante's condition.
Human rights groups dispute the Mexican government claim that it can't do
more about Riera Escalante. They say Mexico should ask the Cuban regime to visit
Riera Escalante in jail.
"It is Mexico's responsibility to find out about Riera Escalante's
conditions,'' said Mario Patrón Sánchez, legal coordinator of the
Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center.
"The Mexican government broke all national and international human
rights principles by delivering this man to the Cuban police,'' Patrón Sánchez
said.
"International law prohibits countries to deport people to countries
where their lives are in danger.''
Riera Escalante, 49, had served as Cuban consul in Mexico from from 1986 to
1992. He told reporters in Mexico before his arrest Oct. 3 that while working as
an intelligence officer with Cuba's DGI, the country's intelligence service, he
had a list of up to 150 Mexicans who were spying for the Cuban embassy.
Mexican officials confirm that Riera Escalante had discussed his defection
with under-secretary of foreign affairs Carlos De Icaza and two other senior
officials, but that he never requested his asylum in writing.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City last month demanded an explanation by the
Mexican government about the deportation, but Mexico declined, arguing that it
was a domestic issue.
Mexico says it was a normal deportation procedure of a Cuban national who
was in the country without having a proper visa.
U.S. officials say Riera Escalante communicated his intention to defect to
the U.S. Embassy before his arrest and subsequent deportation, but was allegedly
told through intermediaries that he would have to defect in Mexico, where he
was.
Copyright 2000 Miami Herald | 