Cuba Arrests 5 More Aides in Drug Scandal

Cuba’s high-level drug trafficking and corruption scandal widened to include the arrests of five more officials, including former Interior Minister Jose Abrantes Fernandez, the Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Monday.

The front-page announcement also reported that five brigadier generals have been demoted to the rank of colonel and retired as part of a thorough investigation and shake-up at the Ministry of the Interior.

Earlier, the scandal resulted in the firing-squad executions of four high-ranking officials, including military hero Gen. Arnaldo Ochoa, after they were convicted on drug smuggling charges.

Altogether, authorities have jailed 16 officials and forced 13 others to resign or demoted them from their posts as result of the scandal.