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CNN Live Saturday
Couple Arrested in Cuba
Aired June 28, 2003 - 18:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: For two months, the children kept their story for fear that it would make things worse. Then finally out of desperation and not knowing where to turn, they took the story public, hoping somehow it would help. So far, it has not. CNN's John Zarrella explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Seven-year- old Ashley Cardoso knows what happened. She was there at the airport in Kammagaye (ph), Cuba, when her mother and father were arrested by Cuban authorities. But neither she nor her older siblings know why.
(on camera): What do you tell her?
LIZANDRA FERNANDEZ, MARIA CARDOSO'S DAUGHTER: That it's going to be OK and that she's coming back soon. But she still (ph), (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ZARRELLA: How about you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ZARRELLA (voice-over): In March, the two daughters went with their mother, Maria, and her husband, Arcel Cardoso, to visit relatives in Kammagaye (ph). Two weeks later in early April, as the family was leaving, Maria, Arcel and an uncle were arrested and have been in jail ever since.
RUBEN MANZO, MARIA CARDOSO'S SON: They say that they spy for the United States, because they find a letter, or something. I don't know what letter they're talking about. We don't even know why my mom is in jail.
ZARRELLA: Now, more than two months since the jailing, still no explanation from the Cuban government, and no way to talk with their mother or her husband. An aunt was supposed to visit Maria on Wednesday, but says she was turned away.
Officially, the U.S. government can't do much, because while Maria and Arcel are residents of the United States, they are not citizens. U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says imprisoning individuals for unspecified crimes could deter Cuban Americans from visiting the island, which would cut down on the U.S. dollars Castro needs. REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R), FLORIDA: It keeps the Cuban economy going, so Castro would not want to do anything that would frighten the Cuban exile community from traveling to Cuba. That's why this case raises so many questions, and we don't have any answers.
ZARRELLA: Answers would help, at least remove the mystery. But for the children, nothing short of embracing their mother will stop the tears.
John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 28, 2003 - 18:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: For two months, the children kept their story for fear that it would make things worse. Then finally out of desperation and not knowing where to turn, they took the story public, hoping somehow it would help. So far, it has not. CNN's John Zarrella explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Seven-year- old Ashley Cardoso knows what happened. She was there at the airport in Kammagaye (ph), Cuba, when her mother and father were arrested by Cuban authorities. But neither she nor her older siblings know why.
(on camera): What do you tell her?
LIZANDRA FERNANDEZ, MARIA CARDOSO'S DAUGHTER: That it's going to be OK and that she's coming back soon. But she still (ph), (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ZARRELLA: How about you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
ZARRELLA (voice-over): In March, the two daughters went with their mother, Maria, and her husband, Arcel Cardoso, to visit relatives in Kammagaye (ph). Two weeks later in early April, as the family was leaving, Maria, Arcel and an uncle were arrested and have been in jail ever since.
RUBEN MANZO, MARIA CARDOSO'S SON: They say that they spy for the United States, because they find a letter, or something. I don't know what letter they're talking about. We don't even know why my mom is in jail.
ZARRELLA: Now, more than two months since the jailing, still no explanation from the Cuban government, and no way to talk with their mother or her husband. An aunt was supposed to visit Maria on Wednesday, but says she was turned away.
Officially, the U.S. government can't do much, because while Maria and Arcel are residents of the United States, they are not citizens. U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says imprisoning individuals for unspecified crimes could deter Cuban Americans from visiting the island, which would cut down on the U.S. dollars Castro needs. REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R), FLORIDA: It keeps the Cuban economy going, so Castro would not want to do anything that would frighten the Cuban exile community from traveling to Cuba. That's why this case raises so many questions, and we don't have any answers.
ZARRELLA: Answers would help, at least remove the mystery. But for the children, nothing short of embracing their mother will stop the tears.
John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
