Cuba: No Clemency For a Hero

No Clemency For a Hero

As one of only five men recognized as a Hero of the Republic of Cuba, the country's highest honor, former Major General Arnaldo Ochoa Sanchez had reason to hope for clemency from his comrade of 30 years, Fidel Castro. It did not come. At dawn last Thursday, Ochoa, 57, and three other former army officers convicted only 16 days earlier of drug trafficking were executed by firing squad near Havana.

In a speech to the ruling 29-member Council of State rejecting appeals of the four former officers, Castro expressed hope that the U.S. and Cuba can now cooperate in solving "our...

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