Cuban Prisoner Exchange

In a reported prisoner exchange, Cuba has released Alan Gross, a subcontractor for U.S. Agency for International Development, after five years in prison, while the United States is freeing the three remaining members of the Cuban Five — Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero and Ramon Labañino.

[...]

Alan Gross was arrested in 2009 on suspicion of being a U.S. spy after handing out equipment to Cuban opposition groups. The Cuban Five were arrested in the United States in 1998 and convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. The Cuban intelligence officers say they were not spying on the United States, but rather trying to monitor violent right-wing Cuban exile groups responsible for attacks inside Cuba. Both President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro are scheduled to make statements today on U.S.-Cuban relations.

  Democracy Now!

The exchange of three Cubans who have been imprisoned here since 1998 for one CIA agent is an interesting exchange. And actually, I'm surprised the deal hadn't been made before Gross had to spend five years in jail. That must be a good story.

And another one must be this.

Cuba also freed a U.S. intelligence source who has been jailed in Cuba for more than 20 years, although authorities did not identify that person for security reasons.

  CNN

Why doesn't Democracy Now! mention the other guy? They usually have the whole story.

We want Cuba to stay like it is? Actually, I can't be wincing at Jeremy Scahill's thoughts, when my first reaction was: "Oh, too bad. Now they'll have new cars there."