Panama withdraws ambassador from Cuba

Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso on Monday withdrew her country's ambassador in Havana, one day after Cuba threatened to cut diplomatic relations over Panama's possible pardon of anti-Castro activists.

Panama "cannot be subjected to interference or threats by any foreign government," Moscoso said while announcing the recall of ambassador Abraham Barcenas.

"Panama will make its most energetic protest for the repeated and unacceptable interference by the Cuban government in the internal affairs of Panama," said the outgoing Moscoso.

Cuba on Sunday threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Panama if Moscoso gave a pardon to anti-Castro activists accused by the Panamanian justice of attempting to murder Cuban President Fidel Castro.

"We want to warn that, if these monstrous criminals are pardoned, diplomatic relations between the republics of Cuba and Panama will automatically be broken," the Cuban government said in a statement.

The four Cuban exiles, Luis Posada Carriles, Gaspar Jimenez, Pedro Remon and Guillermo Novo Sampol, were arrested in November 2000 for allegedly having planned to assassinate Castro at a 2000 summit of Latin American and Iberian leaders in Panama.

A Panamanian tribunal sentenced Luis Posada and Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo to eight years in prison, and Guillermo Novo Sampol and Pedro Remon, seven years in prison, for endangering public safety and forging documents, but not for the presumed assassination attempt against Castro.

Moscoso on Monday denied that the four Cubans were included in any list of prisoners to be pardoned before she hands over the presidency to Martin Torrijos on Sept. 1.

"I have not made any decisions to pardon Panamanians or foreigners, but if I do, I will announce it," she said.

Barcenas on Monday left the embassy in Havana after Moscoso ordered his departure, workers of the embassy said.

Source: Xinhua