Cuba jails airline, pharma execs for corruption

The Jakarta Post, Associated Press, Havana, Sat, 07/30/2011

Cuban courts have convicted airline and pharmaceutical executives of corruption and sentenced them to three to 13 years in prison.

The stiffest sentence is 13 years for Cubana de Aviacion director Jose Heriberto Prieto.

An announcement on state television Friday night also mentions sentences for various officials from pharmaceutical company Herbiotec SA.

It says the penalties correspond to the seriousness of the offenses and "numerous losses to the economy."

Cuba has recently seen a series of convictions in an anti-corruption campaign that has swept up two Chilean businessmen and a Frenchman who was accused of laundering drug money.

President Raul Castro has warned that his government is serious about fighting graft.