05 July 2007

U.S. Grants Citizenship to Former Terrorist

Well... okay, not exactly:

A 105-year-old Cuban-born man who had at least one pending wish finally had it fulfilled - he became a U.S. citizen.

In 1964, he was imprisoned in Cuba for smuggling weapons from the United States into the island for an insurrection against Fidel Castro. Temprana got out at age 93, applied for a humanitarian visa and flew to Miami.

"I feel different," said Temprana, who served 30 years in Cuban jails. "Satisfied, very happy. It was worth the wait."

Temprana has the vitality of a younger man. Nicknamed "El Nino" (The Boy), he rides his scooter to the store to play the lottery, rolls his own cigars, drinks whiskey with neighbors and has a girlfriend.

No comments: