Leading Cuban activist, wife make surprise trip to Spain

By JOSEPH WILSON, ALBERTO ARCE and ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A spokesman for Spain’s government says leading Cuban activist Yunior García has flown to Madrid with his wife. His departure from Cuba was unannounced. They arrived Wednesday on tourist visas. García was one of the organizers of a protest on Monday in Cuba that was suppressed by government supporters. García had also wanted to make a solo protest walk on Sunday but he was prevented from leaving his apartment building by government supporters. García, a playwright, heads the group Archipiélago, an online forum demanding democracy. Cuban Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez tells The Associated Press that the departure of García and wife Dayana Prieto was their personal decision, not anything orchestrated by the Cuban government.