Cuba fugitives return, Cuba's government said Tuesday they will turn a Florida couple accused of abducting their children back to the U.S., according to CNN.
A CNN reporter, Patrick Oppmann, reports he has seen the two boys and spoken to their parents at the Hemingway Marina in Havana. Joshua Hakken declined to speak to Oppmann.
Chase Hakken, 2, and Cole Hakken, 4, have been located on the island nation and are being closely watched, according to CNN.
Joshua and Sharyn Hakken lost their custody rights earlier this week relating to a 2012 arrest in Slidell, LA, where police found Joshua Hakken in a hotel room with his family with marijuana, gun and a knife. He also had posted anti-government writings on firearm and home-schooling websites.
Joshua Hakken kidnapped his sons from his mother-in-law Wednesday.
Initially, the U.S. State Department officials say they have asked the Cuban Government for help in the case.
But if you talk to Cuban officials, so far they're saying they haven't received any such request.
And they aren't confirming whether in fact the Hakken family is in fact in Cuban custody.
This kind of diplomatic dysfunction is very typical with U.S., Cuba relationship.
For years now the Cuban government has refused U.S. request to extradite dozens of America fugitives living in Havana.
It's not clear though if they would extradite someone like the Hakken's who are accused, not of political crimes, but of something more along the common lines of fleeing with their children - more of a domestic type case.
But as of right now the Cuban government is remaining very tight lipped.
This is simply one place where the American legal system has no sway.
While there is an American diplomatic mission in Havana, there are no formal U.S., Cuban diplomatic relations so the Hakken family may be taking advantage if they are in Cuba of this delicate relationship and maybe exploiting the fact that at least for U.S. authorities they will have no way to force the Cuban Government to send this family back to the United States.
A CNN reporter, Patrick Oppmann, reports he has seen the two boys and spoken to their parents at the Hemingway Marina in Havana. Joshua Hakken declined to speak to Oppmann.
Chase Hakken, 2, and Cole Hakken, 4, have been located on the island nation and are being closely watched, according to CNN.
Joshua and Sharyn Hakken lost their custody rights earlier this week relating to a 2012 arrest in Slidell, LA, where police found Joshua Hakken in a hotel room with his family with marijuana, gun and a knife. He also had posted anti-government writings on firearm and home-schooling websites.
Joshua Hakken kidnapped his sons from his mother-in-law Wednesday.
Initially, the U.S. State Department officials say they have asked the Cuban Government for help in the case.
But if you talk to Cuban officials, so far they're saying they haven't received any such request.
And they aren't confirming whether in fact the Hakken family is in fact in Cuban custody.
This kind of diplomatic dysfunction is very typical with U.S., Cuba relationship.
For years now the Cuban government has refused U.S. request to extradite dozens of America fugitives living in Havana.
It's not clear though if they would extradite someone like the Hakken's who are accused, not of political crimes, but of something more along the common lines of fleeing with their children - more of a domestic type case.
But as of right now the Cuban government is remaining very tight lipped.
This is simply one place where the American legal system has no sway.
While there is an American diplomatic mission in Havana, there are no formal U.S., Cuban diplomatic relations so the Hakken family may be taking advantage if they are in Cuba of this delicate relationship and maybe exploiting the fact that at least for U.S. authorities they will have no way to force the Cuban Government to send this family back to the United States.