Cuba Wants to Exchange Alan Gross for Cuban Five, Bill Richardson Says

Cuba Wants to Exchange Alan Gross for Cuban Five, Bill Richardson Says
Published June 15, 2012

The Cuban government wants to swap imprisoned U.S. contractor Alan Gross
for five Cuban spies jailed in the United States, former New Mexico Gov.
Bill Richardson says.

Richardson traveled to Cuba in September hoping to broker a deal with
the Castro government to release Gross, who has lost several pounds and
developed a growth under his right shoulder blade since Cuban
authorities locked him up two years ago, according to his lawyer.

But Richardson returned empty-handed, saying the Castro government wants
to strike a deal that would exchange Gross for five intelligence agents
convicted of espionage.

"The Cubans have decided that they want to trade the one American, Alan
Gross—who I believe is innocent and hurting and should come home—for
five Cuban political prisoners who have had serious crimes," Richardson
told Juan Williams in an exclusive interview for Fox News Latino.

"Unfortunately, that decision was made when I was heading to Cuba,"
Richardson added. "I thought maybe I would have some negotiating room,
but my hope is that negotiations on this issue can continue."

Richardson, a Democrat, says he traveled to Cuba as a private citizen,
rather than a representative of the Obama administration.

In December 2009, the Cuban government jailed Gross, a contractor for
U.S. Aid who says he traveled to Cuba to set up wireless Internet
connections for the country's tiny Jewish community. The Castro
government accused Gross of supporting political dissidents and
convicted him of violating Cuba's sovereignty.

Gross is currently serving a 15-year jail sentence.

The Cuban government has long campaigned for the release of its five
intelligence officers, known on the island as the "Cuban 5," who were
convicted by the U.S. government as unauthorized foreign agents who
infiltrated Cuban exile groups. Cuban officials have not said publicly
that they seek a swap, however.

Despite Richardson's diplomatic setback, he continues to support opening
relations between the United States and Cuba.

"The embargo isn't working," Richardson said. "Relaxing travel makes sense."

But Richardson said progress would also depend on how much Cuba is
willing to reform its Communist political system.

"I think the Cubans have to respond," Richardson said. "They've got to
lighten up on some of the democracy issues that they push and release
this Gross guy and have some more democratic freedoms."

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/06/15/cuba-wants-to-exchange-alan-gross-for-cuban-five-bill-richardson-says/