CUBANET ... CUBANEWS 646927

February 8, 2000



Two Cuban doctors seek asylum in Venezuela

CARACAS, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Two Cuban doctors in Venezuela as part of a medical task force in the wake of December's deadly floods said on Monday they wanted President Hugo Chavez's pro-Castro government to grant them asylum.

The two men, identified by local media as Heberto Navarro, 38, and Reinaldo Colebrook, 34, were part of a humanitarian team of more than 400 doctors sent by Cuban President Fidel Castro to aid rescue work after the floods, which may have killed up to 30,000 people.

Citing economic opportunity and liberty of expression in Venezuela, the two doctors publicly called on Chavez to their asylum during a news conference.

They warned that they would be stripped of their medical licenses and punished if they returned to Cuba.

The Cuban embassy in Caracas was unavailable for comment.

An outspoken er of Cuba's Communist regime, Chavez played baseball in Havana against a team hand-picked by Castro.

He has said Venezuela, the largest exporter of oil to the United States, and Cuba were ``marching toward the same sea of happiness and social justice.''

Despite the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, three-quarters of Venezuelans live in poverty.

Three Cubans who sought asylum in Venezuela last year were promptly returned to the Communist-run island.

15:22 02-07-00

Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited.

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