Cubans Defect at World Youth Day

HAVANA, Jul 29, 02 (CWNews.com) - Cuban youths who had traveled to World Youth Day in Canada have defected and decided not to return to the Communist country, the Cuban bishops' conference said on Monday.

Of the 200 youths who had been allowed to attend the gathering with Pope John Paul in Toronto, 23 decided not to return with the group. «Up to this morning 23 youths separated from the delegation with the intention of not returning to Cuba,» said Orlando Marquez, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Cuba. «Some were helped by relatives who traveled from the United States. Others acted on their own, leaving farewell notes.»

The Cuban government made no mention of the defections and the Canadian government refused to confirm the report. In Florida, Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a Republican of Cuban descent, said he had written to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien asking that his government grant the Cubans political asylum.