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Released from Cuba, Alan Gross says freedom is not free

 
Alan Gross holds his wife Judy's hand while during a news conference at his lawyer's office in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Gross was released from Cuba after five years in a Cuban prison. [Assocaited Press]
Alan Gross holds his wife Judy's hand while during a news conference at his lawyer's office in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Gross was released from Cuba after five years in a Cuban prison. [Assocaited Press]
Published Dec. 18, 2014

WASHINGTON — U.S. contractor Alan Gross, released from Cuban captivity Wednesday, said he was grateful to the efforts of his family, lawmakers and the White House for securing his freedom, and supportive of President Barack Obama's newly announced plan to normalize relations with Cuba.

"What a blessing it is to be a citizen of this country, and thank you, President Obama, for everything you have done today and leading up to this day," Gross told reporters in Washington.

Gaunt and with visibly broken front teeth, Gross remained upbeat, and said that the advocacy on his behalf by supporters across the country kept him encouraged despite weight loss and other health problems.

"It was crucial to my survival knowing that I was not forgotten," he said.

Gross was imprisoned in Cuba for five years for distributing communications equipment to the island's Jewish population as a government contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2011 for "acts against the independence" of the island nation.

Gross praised Obama for his active role in negotiations, saying that "the decision to arrange for and secure my release was made in the Oval Office." He said he was encouraged by the president's efforts to reset relations with Cuba, calling it a "game-changer which I support."