Captain Lázaro Betancourt reportedly defected on Saturday evening, or early Sunday morning, and requested asylum at the US Embassy, according to press reports. Dominican intelligence sources reportedly confirmed the news to Hoy newspaper. It has been reported that he will be sent to Washington. DC. He arrived to the DR on Thursday as part of the security force contingent that came to prepare for the visit of President Fidel Castro. Castro visited to attend the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States. The Ministry of Foreign Relations nor the US Embassy has commented on the request.
