by Cuba Journal staff
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday that the Obama administration is in the final stages of drafting a plan to close the U.S. military detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
According to Earnest, “Let me confirm for you that the administration is, in fact, in the final stages of drafting a plan to safely and responsibly close the prison at Guantanamo Bay and to present that plan to Congress.”
The prison at Guantanamo has earned notoriety over the years for housing one of the masterminds of the 9-11 attack, among other high value captures terrorists, and for controversial practices that some believe are inhumane and border on torture.
“[Obama] believes it’s in our clear national security interest for us to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay,” said Earnest.
Earnest gave no indication whether the closing of the prison located at Guantanamo Bay is connected to a wider effort to return the military base to Cuba. Guantanamo Bay’s return is among the top of Cuba’s demands it feels are necessary to resolve the remaining issues between the US and Cuba.