Panama grants refugee status to three Cuban rafters

PANAMA CITY, Dec 23 -- (AFP) -- Panama has granted refugee status to three Cubans who arrived in the country illegally two weeks ago in a small rubber raft, Migration Director German Gil said late Tuesday.

Ipafanio Corrales, Orlando Montano and Fidel Cabrera, who had been jailed in the Caribbean coastal port of Coco Solo since their arrival, were transferred to the capital on Monday after their status was changed, Gil said.

He added that the Cuban embassy in Panama as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had been informed of the case.

Supporters of the trio's request for refugee status say they left Cuba for political reasons as they are opposed to the regime of Fidel Castro.