U.S. National Council of Churches visits Alan Gross in Havana and urges an end to Cuban embargo; hints at a prisoner swap

A delegation from the U.S. National Council of Churches visited convicted American contractor Alan Gross today in his Havana jail cell, where he is serving a 15 year sentence for state security crimes. The NCC delegation was led by Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, the organization's general secretary. Gross' second anniversary of confinement is Dec. 3.

"Two of us went to see Alan," said Kinnamon. "We are very appreciative to the Cuban government for letting us do so. We had a good conversation with him; he was in good spirits." Kinnamon's comments were quoted in a late edition of today's El Nuevo Herald, a Spanish language newspaper in Miami which closely monitors Cuban affairs.

Kinnamon said the Council delegation undertook the trip because it's concerned about U.S.-Cuba relations, about Gross and about the Miami Five, who are convicted Cuban prisoners serving lengthy sentences in the United States. While in Havana the NCC delegation met with family members of the Five, who have been incarcerated since 1998. Kinnamon also met for about two hours with Cuban president Raúl Castro.

Kinnamon said he plans to meet with U.S. diplomatic representatives to emphasize the necessity of ending the 51 year old economic embargo against the island nation. "It's obvious that there are many matters upon which we disagree and which we have to discuss, but the manner in which to do it is with mutual respect for one another. Fifty years of hostility and and embargo simply have to come to an end," added Kinnamon.

On October 25 the United Nations voted 186-2 to condemn the U.S. embargo of Cuba. Only the United States and Israel opposed the resolution. It was the 20th consecutive year in which U.N. member nations voted overwhelmingly to condemn the five decade old economic isolation of the island. http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/united-nations-condemns-us-embargo-of.html

Although Kinnamon did not directly address the topic of a possible prisoner swap, he said that his delegation was concerned about a wide range of matters, which included "for sure the five Cubans." On November 7 Alan Gross himself suggested that he be exchanged for the Miami Five (http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/11/from-his-havana-cell-alan-gross-calls.html). Two days ago his wife, Judy Gross, publicly asked president Obama to "stand up and do something to bring (Alan) home, despite the pending (2012) elections." Both Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton have repeatedly said there will be no deals with Cuba, nor any prisoner exchange.

[Note: The National Council of Churches is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States which, according to one source, include 100,000 local congregations and 45 million members.]

All about the Alan Gross case and the Miami Five: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/11/judy-gross-asks-president-obama-to.html.

Why the U.S. should make a prisoner swap today: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-shows-revolting-double-standard-in.html.

Alan Gross y Los Cinco de Miami: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/alan-gross-y-los-cinco-de-miami.html.

Why the U.S. should abandon the disastrously failed Cuban embargo: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-embargo-of-cuba.html.