Cuban cyclists disappear in Venezuela

The Venezuelan government says it is willing to offer asylum to two members of a Cuban cycling team who went missing last week -- but so far has had no contact with them.

The two Jesus Nunez Lazo and Heriberto Rodriquez Gallodisappeared from their hotel at Barinas in Venezuela last Thursday.

Officials say they believe the men are intending to defect from Cuba, but that their whereabouts remain unknown.

Venezuela recently accepted about twenty Cuban refugees who'd been held at the United States base at Guantanamo, on the eastern tip of Cuba.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service