U.S. government contract worker Alan Gross was released Wednesday morning after a five-year imprisonment in Cuba.
The 65-year-old, now in poor health, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Cuban court in 2011 for bringing telecommunications devices onto the island.
WLRN has reported on Gross' trajectory with the Cuban government and you can read those stories here.
At noon Wednesday, President Barack Obama also announced his new approach in U.S.-Cuba relations.
You can watch his statement below:
"To the Cuban people, America extends a hand of friendship." —President Obama
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) December 17, 2014
Watch the full video. #CubaPolicy http://t.co/Qrzp5zODZk
Cuban leader Raúl Castro also released a statement earlier today. You can read a translation of it here.
http://youtu.be/_16X6hmgfow
Below are some links you should read if you want to become familiar with the matter.
From WLRN-Miami Herald News:
- Seismic Shift In U.S. Policy Toward Cuba Involved Pope And An Unknown Spy
- Cubans On The Island See New U.S.-Cuba Relations As A Major Breakthrough
- Live Chat: Special Program On U.S.-Cuba Relations Post-Alan Gross
- Alan Gross And The Vatican: Could The Keys Of St. Peter Unlock A Cuban Jail Cell?
- Locked Up In Latin America: Why These Controversial Cases Are Hard To Resolve
- Alan Gross Marks Five Years In Cuban Prison, Family Warns He's "Wasting Away"
From the Miami Herald:
- U.S.-Cuba Policy Overhaul Sends Shockwaves Through Miami Exile Community
- Cuba Releases U.S. Prisoner Alan Gross After 5 Years
- With Prisoner Release, A Momentous Shift In U.S.-Cuba Relations
- History-maker: President Barack Obama, Raúl Castro Open Talks To Thaw U.S.-Cuba Relations
Obama Unveils 'New Approach' On Cuba As Former Foes Chart New Course
