This is the best summary I could come up with:
HAVANA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Cuban authorities said they had arrested 17 people on charges related to a ring of human traffickers that allegedly lured young Cuban men to serve in the Russian military amid the Ukraine conflict.
Cuba earlier this week revealed authorities were working to “neutralize and dismantle” the network, which it said operated both on Cuban soil and in Russia.
“As a result of the investigations, 17 people have been arrested so far, among them the internal organizer of these activities,” Cesar Rodriguez, a colonel with Cuba´s interior ministry, said late on Thursday on a TV program.
Rodriguez did not name any of those accused of participating in the ring, but said the group´s leader relied on two people residing on the island to recruit Cubans to fight for hire on behalf of Russia in Ukraine.
Prosecutor Jose Luis Reyes said those involved in the scandal could be punished with up to 30 years in prison, a life sentence or the death penalty, depending on the severity and type of crimes, which range from human trafficking, fighting as a mercenary and hostile action against a foreign state.
Russia, which has strong political ties with communist-run Cuba, has long been an important destination for Cuban migrants seeking to escape economic stagnation at home.
The original article contains 263 words, the summary contains 215 words. Saved 18%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
So messed up
I’m confused, the human trafficking implies those people didn’t consent but ij the article they call them mercenaries for hire. Which is it?
I didn’t read the article, but consider the fact that Cuba is a country many people want to leave. Then a guy comes along saying “Hey, we’ll give you Russian citizenship and you can leave”. Even if they agree, it’s predatory
Is Cuba really that horrible a place that their citizens think Russia is an improvement?
No.
Human traffickers tend to not be very honest.
But there’s a reason why Cuban citizens can’t leave the country legally (it’s not the free healthcare).
As of January 14, 2013, all Cuban government-imposed travel restrictions and controls have been abolished. Since that date, any Cuban citizen, with a valid passport, can leave the country at will, without let or hindrance from the Cuban authorities.
With a valid passport…
Thanks for sharing, I didn’t know that. I still had the “from Cuba to Florida on a raft” image of the situation. Still, wouldn’t that leave poverty as the main barrier?
Yes, the cost of a passport (charged by the Cuban government) is now a barrier. Also, they may not allow you to leave if you are a doctor, baseball player, communist official, etc.
So yes, people can “leave” now if they have a lot of money and permission from the government. It’s nothing like a free country.
They use their doctors as educated slave labor:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-trafficking-idUSKBN1WC00X
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/23/cuba-repressive-rules-doctors-working-abroad
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Yes
Because in Cuba it is illegal to have mercenary groups, Cuba doesn’t do this.
On top of that they want no hand in this mess Russia made for themselves. So they’re prosecuting aggressively in response.
“DEPENDING ON the severity and type of crimes…”
I Guess they are unsure if they went willingly
Quick! Now do republicans!
