[Miles O'brien, Cnn Anchor:] A former Cuban diplomat has been escorted out of the United States by federal authorities. Jose Imperatori is now in transit to Cuba after a U.S. government flight to Montreal, Canada. Earlier, he refused to leave the U.S. after he was accused of spying.
[Jose Imperatori, Former Cuban Diplomat:] I've become the victim of a major slander. I've been wrongly accused of doing intelligence work in the United States.
[O'brien:] The expulsion of the former Cuban diplomat is big news in Cuba, to say the least, where the story is being followed closely. We have the latest from Havana from CNN's Martin Savidge. Martin, what is the latest?
[Martin Savidge, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, good morning to you, Miles. The Cuban government so far has not said a lot about the forced removal of Jose Imperatori. Just as he was taken into custody in Maryland last evening, a source with the Cuban government told CNN that this was, quote, "a North American problem," unquote. He didn't elaborate. He also said that Cuba wasn't going to cooperate with their diplomat's departure, and said that this was a great injustice. Jose Imperatori, who had worked for the Cuban Interest section in Washington, was accused by the U.S. of being connected to Mariano Fajet. Now, that's the American immigration official that the FBI claims is guilty of spying for Cuba. Cuba is denying adamantly that there was any espionage whatsoever by anyone. They admit that Imperatori and Fajet had had communications between one another, but they say that's nothing unusual. The Cuban Interest section talks to a lot of American officials. That, the Cubans say, is part of the job. Now the question among the diplomatic community here in Havana this morning is, will Cuba now respond in kind, ordering an American diplomat at the U.S. Interest section in Havana to pack their things and leave? The Cubans believe that this is all related to the case of 6- year-old Elian Gonzalez. He's the shipwreck survivor from Cuba now in America. The Cubans believe that this spy scandal was manufactured to make Cuba look bad just before a critical legal hearing to decide if Elian should be returned to his father and to his homeland Miles.
[O'brien:] Marty, any indication right now as to what sort of reception this diplomat might receive? I know Cuba's fond of giving state-sanctioned hero status to people.
[Savidge:] Well, so far there hasn't been an announcement, but yes, there is a lot of speculation here that when Jose Imperatori steps off the aircraft and returns once more to Cuba, that he will be treated as a hero, as a man who stood up to the United States. We look back on the return of the grandmothers after their visit to the United States when they went and met with 6-year-old Elian, and there was a large crowd that was waiting for them at the airport, and throngs of people were basically announced and told to come out on the streets and greet the grandmothers as their motorcade moved down the streets and entered into Havana. It's expected that Mr. Imperatori will be received and treated the very same way Miles.
[O'brien:] Martin Savidge in Havana, thanks very much.