Jimmy Carter met here privately Monday with Cuba's Catholic primate, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, and with leaders of the Jewish community as the former U.S. president began a three-day private visit to the island.Buy nike running shoes online
Neither Ortega nor Carter spoke to reporters after their one-hour talks at the Havana Archdiocese.
"Mr. Carter expressed to Cardinal Ortega his happiness over the process of dialogue Cuba's Church is pursuing with the government of President Raul Castro Ruz, one of whose results has been the release of more than 100 Cuban (political) prisoners," the archdiocese said later in a statement.
While most of the freed prisoners accepted what they hope will be temporary exile in Spain, the Communist government has allowed some to remain on the island.
Carter met with Ortega after paying a call on the Council of the Jewish Community of Cuba.
The former president spoke with Chairwoman Adela Dworin and several other council members before touring the offices and adjacent synagogue. nike cheap mens acg sandals
Dworin told reporters they did not discuss the case of U.S. government contractor Alan Gross, recently sentenced by a Cuban court to 15 years in prison on charges of trying to undermine the island's independence.
Gross, 61, was arrested in Havana in December 2009 while distributing computers and satellite gear. He said the equipment was intended to help Cuba's small Jewish community better communicate with the outside world.
"In reality, we didn't talk any politics. We told him about the Jewish community in Cuba, how many members it has, and that we openly practice our religion," Dworin said of the meeting with Carter.
Carter, making his second visit to Cuba in nine years, is the highest-ranking U.S. politician to set foot on the island since the triumph of the 1959 revolution.
His current visit was prompted by an invitation from Raul Castro, who formally succeeded ailing older brother Fidel three years ago and is to receive the former U.S. president on Tuesday.Find brand shoes
The United States and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations for nearly half a century, but interests sections were established in the respective capitals during Carter's 1977-1981 administration.
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