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Monday, May 3, 2004

The Mexican government, accusing the communist island of meddling in its internal affairs, also expelled the Cuban ambassador. The actions, announced late Sunday, stopped short of severing diplomatic relations completely.

Castro has bitterly denounced last month's vote by the U.N. Human Rights Commission and has accused the United States of forcing other nations to support the resolution.

The Cuban leader said Saturday that the prestige Mexico once gained in Latin America and throughout the world for its independent foreign policies had "turned to ash" as it began toeing the line for the United States.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell defended the actions of Mexico and Peru and described as "outrageous" Castro's charges against the two countries.

Cuba, meanwhile, expelled the aide of a man at the center of a political scandal in Mexico. Cuba said Antonio Martinez Ocampo had been deported because his presence "could cause serious damage to our country," though he had broken no Cuban laws.

Martinez Ocampo arrived in Cuba with businessman Carlos Ahumada, who was deported to Mexico last week. Ahumada filmed himself making large payments to Mexico City officials and activists in the city's governing Democratic Revolution Party.

Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has accused officials in President Vicente Fox's government of conspiring with Ahumada to create a scandal that would damage his chances to seek Mexico's presidency in 2006.

President Vicente Fox's government last week protested Cuba's statement that Ahumada had confirmed he had been involved in a political plot.

Mexico said its decision to withdraw its ambassador followed Castro's public criticism of its support for last month's U.N. resolution and other foreign policy decisions. It also cited unauthorized activities by visiting Cuban Communist Party members who failed to notify Mexican officials of their presence.

"We want to make clear that Mexico does not and will not tolerate, under any premise or circumstances, the attempt of any foreign government to influence our domestic or foreign policy decisions," Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said late Sunday.

Peru said Sunday it was recalling its ambassador to Havana, Juan Alvarez Vita, after Castro condemned its support of the U.N. resolution and insulted President Alejandro Toledo in a May Day speech on Saturday.

Peru's Foreign Ministry issued a terse statement Sunday night saying it "energetically rejects the offensive remarks of the Cuban president against Peru and they will inevitably affect bilateral relations."

Derbez said Monday he understood that Mexico's ambassador to Cuba, Roberta Lajous, already had returned to Mexico from Cuba, and Jorge Bolanos, Cuba's ambassador to Mexico, was being expelled.

Derbez said suggestions that Mexico was influenced by the United States in the human rights vote were "insulting."

Mexican Interior Secretary Santiago Creel accused Cuban Communist Party members of entering the country on diplomatic passports last month without advising Mexican officials and said they were were "handling issues ... that should be dealt with through diplomatic channels." He did not elaborate.

Derbez said the Cuban Embassy's political affairs adviser, Orlando Silva, who allegedly facilitated their activities, had been ordered to leave Mexico immediately.

© 2004 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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