Wed Oct 10, 5:16 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Wednesday marked
Hispanic heritage month by calling on Cuba to release political
prisoners and showcasing a prominent Cuban musician.
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At a Rose Garden event, Bush pulled Yamile Llanes Labrada on stage and
called for Cuba to release her husband Luis Garcia Paneque. Garcia was
arrested in 2003 as part of a group of activists imprisoned for
non-violent dissident activities, the White House said.
Bush said Garcia, a plastic surgeon, was ill. "One of the messages I
have for the Cuban leaders: free this man and free other political
prisoners. He's not a threat to you," Bush said.
The remarks added fuel to U.S.-Cuban tensions. Bush angered Cuba last
month at the United Nations General Assembly when he referred to ailing
Cuban leader Fidel Castro as a "cruel dictator."
Cuban bassist and bandleader Israel "Cachao" Lopez, who made mambo music
popular in the United States, performed at the outdoor event. Lopez
first played at the White House in 1948 for President Harry Truman.
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