Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Defector Discusses Attempt to Bring Children From Cuba Following Wife's Death
Aired June 28, 2001 - 08:01 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: One year ago today, Elian Gonzalez and his father returned to Cuba, seven months after he was found floating off the coast of Florida.
In a moment, we'll have more on how the little boy is doing today, but first consider the plight of another Cuban family. Dr. Leonel Cordova made headlines when he defected from Cuba last year. Now he is fighting the Cuban government to let his children come to the United States, two weeks after his wife was killed in a motorcycle accident. Once again, Dr. Cordova finds himself in the middle of an international dispute.
And we bid you good morning on that note.
DR. LEONEL CORDOVA, DEFECTOR FROM CUBA: Good morning.
LIN: Dr. Cordova, where exactly are your children right now? Who are they staying with?
CORDOVA: My children are in Cuba with my family. They are waiting for the Cuban authorization to come to Miami, as soon as possible, because they are desperate to stay here. They want to stay here as soon as possible.
LIN: What's unusual in your case is you say that your children already have visas to leave Cuba -- is that right -- and to come to the United States?
CORDOVA: Sorry? Could you speak a little bit slowly?
LIN: Sure. Your children actually have visas to travel to the United States.
CORDOVA: Yes. As soon as I asked for the visa for them to come to this country, the government of the United States responded very well and very quickly. But everything depends on the Cuban government now.
LIN: And what is the Cuban government telling you?
CORDOVA: Well, the Cuban government hasn't pronounced even a word. They don't want to respond to my e-mails. They haven't been in contact with me by no means. LIN: Why don't you trust that the Cuban government will be able to work this out and allow your children to leave?
CORDOVA: Well, it's expected for them to come to this country next week. If everything goes as planned by the State Department, they are going to come very soon. It depends on Fidel Castro only.
LIN: Well, we were just talking about the Elian Gonzalez story, and as you know, Elian Gonzalez's father left Cuba to come to the United States to pick his boy up. Would you return to Cuba to pick up your children?
CORDOVA: I couldn't go to Cuba now to pick up my children. I wish I could. But you know, if I were there, I would be in a very difficult situation because Fidel Castro won't allow me to return. Of course, I won't enjoy the same possibilities as Juan Miguel Gonzalez had when he had the children here. Fidel Castro is going to do everything to spoil our reunification, as he has done all this time.
LIN: Dr. Cordova, why did you defect without your family?
CORDOVA: OK, first of all, I think the most important thing for why I defected was because I was looking for some freedom for me and for them, and I had a great need of expressing -- I mean, loudly -- what I feel about the Cuban tyrannic government of Fidel Castro. I think it's very important to let the world know what is going on in Cuba that is very different from what they think.
LIN: When you defected last year, your wife told reporters she hoped that you did not suffer because of your decision. Do you regret your decision now?
CORDOVA: Sorry?
LIN: When you defected last year...
CORDOVA: Yes.
LIN: ... your wife told reporters that she hoped that you would not have to suffer because of your decision to defect from Cuba. Do you regret your decision now, now that you're separated from your children?
CORDOVA: No, I think what I did is correct. She was all the time with me. She was trying to do the same thing. She was trying to give freedom to her children, and she is going to be very proud if they are here now with me, because it's what she wanted for them.
LIN: We will follow your case. We understand that the State Department is involved.
We thank you, Dr. Cordova, for joining us this morning. Hope you get to see your kids soon.
CORDOVA: Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
