Posted on 10/26/2005 11:27:55 AM PDT by AmericaUnite
Cubans defect in Toronto Leave patriotic choir on tour By TOM GODFREY, TORONTO SUN
More than 20 members of Cuba's world-famous national chorus are singing songs of freedom today after defecting in Toronto.
Members of the National Chorus of Cuba dodged security officers and jumped into waiting cars, some on Sunday and others yesterday, said Cuban exiles who planned the defections.
"These people are scared for their lives," said Ismail Sambra, president of the Cuban Canadian Foundation. "They are worried about their families back home.
"It took a lot of planning to get this far."
The highly acclaimed 40-member group, which travels the world promoting the Communist regime, arrived in Canada last week and performed in the Toronto and Port Hope areas.
The singers appeared at a downtown church last Sunday, were to perform this Saturday in B.C. with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and were scheduled to leave Canada next week.
The booking agent in Canada for the group, Robert Missen, said he was only aware of 11 defectors and that the rest of the group would perform in B.C.
The singers, who are hiding out at the homes of Cuban exiles in the city, are expected to apply for refugee status today in Toronto.
Gaining their freedom is worth any danger they may face, the singers said.
Ernesto Cendoya-Sotomayor, 27, a baritone, said he left his wife and young daughter behind.
"Cuban police will probably tell my family I am a traitor to the revolution," he said. "They will put pressure on my family."
I'm sure Castro doesn't care otherwise why let them out of the country.
A Chorus Line.....to FREEDOM!!!!!!............
Excellent!
But...but...but...I thought Cuba was a worker's paradise, with free healthcare, education and happy citizens all around.
ping
"I'm sure Castro doesn't care otherwise why let them out of the country."
He cares enough to have their family members beaten and jailed.
Gee, I guess people forgot to tell the defectors about the free health care, low infant mortality rate and great public eduation in Cuba ;-)
GMTA, although mine didn't think quite as fast as yours - see #9.
You have got to be kidding.
It's highly unlikely that any of them have any "state secrets" to divulge....but their defection gives El Commandante publicity that wouldn't please him.
Why would they do that?
Code Pink's Medea Benjamin said her stay in Cuba "made it seem like I died and went to heaven."
Why would anyone want to leave "heaven?"
</sarcasm>
Yes, if guys like Harry Belafonte talk about how great life is in Cuba, why don't you see them defecting to Cuber?
Why doesn't Robert Redford and all the other Hollywierd nut cases all pony up and help these refugees get on with their lives in this big, bad, capitalist wasteland they have defected to?
Looks like Castro himself is the only one Cuba can trust not to defect.
pong
Why does Castro even let people out any more?
Every bunch he lets out ends up losing people. And these are the 'vetted' people. Imagine how many would leave if he suddenly opened the borders.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.