37 Cuban dissidents arrive in Spain

MADRID: A plane carrying 37 Cuban former political prisoners and their families landed at Madrid's international airport on Friday, a government spokesman said.

"They arrived this morning. There are 245 in total, including 37 ex-detainees," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

The group arrived on a plane chartered by the Spanish government as part of an agreement last year between the Cuban government and the Catholic church, brokered by Spain, which led to the release of dozens of detainees.