HAVANA, July 12 (Reuters) - The first six of 52 political prisoners to be freed in a deal with the Catholic Church left Cuba on Monday, bound for a new life as Cuban exiles in Spain.
One of the prisoners, Jose Luis Garcia Paneque, called from an Air Europa jet to Madrid as it was taking off from the Havana airport to confirm the departure for Reuters.
He said five more prisoners were scheduled to leave Havana on a later flight on Monday. The prisoners’ families are departing the country with them.
The 52 prisoners have been locked up since they were arrested in a 2003 government crackdown, and are being released under an agreement reached last Wednesday between the Cuban government and the Catholic Church.
Human rights advocates have estimated Cuba had 167 political prisoners, including 10 who were out on parole.
Cuba, which views dissidents as U.S.-backed mercenaries working to topple the communist government, wants them to leave the country. Spain has agreed to accept them, if they want to leave Cuba.
