Havana, Aug 08: Eloy Gutierrez-Menoyo, a rebel leader in the Cuban revolution who long ago broke with Fidel Castro's government and served 22 years in prison, said that he was returning from exile to operate an opposition movement. Gutierrez-Menoyo, who travelled to the communist island several weeks ago for a family vacation, yesterday said he would stay to promote democracy.

The 68-year-old former rebel commander made his announcement at Havana's International Airport, where he was seeing off his wife and three sons who had come with him for the vacation.

"They are leaving, but this time i harbor the hope that they can be reunited with me in the near future," Gutierrez-Menoyo told reporters. "At the same time, I hope that one day Cubans can enter and leave their country freely without the need for a visa."
After arriving back in Miami, Gladys Gutierrez-Menoyo said she had no idea about her husband's plan to stay until he told her at Havana International Airport.

She said that after he addressed the media, "he turned around to me and gave me a kiss and said 'take the kids. I'm staying.”
"Even though it was a surprise, he's always shown his intentions to live there and work there," she said.

Castro's government, which has maintained a cautious relationship with Gutierrez-Menoyo since he met with the Cuban leader in 1995, had no immediate response.

The leader has been granted permission to make several nonpolitical family visits to homeland in recent years.
Bureau Report