Miss Universe says had lot of fun in Guantanamo

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090401/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_guantanamo_missuniverse

Miss Universe says had " lot of fun " in Guantanamo

By Pascal Fletcher Pascal Fletcher – Wed Apr 1, 4:03 am ET

MIAMI (Reuters) – A " relaxing, calm, beautiful place " may not be everyone's

description of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the United States holds about 240

prisoners in a detention centre that has drawn condemnation from around the

world.

But this was the opinion of reigning Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela,

who visited the U.S. naval facility in eastern Cuba this month on a trip

organized by the United Service Organizations (USO) which supports U.S. troops.

The Guantanamo Bay base, whose presence Cuba's government has contested as

illegal for years, is used by U.S. authorities as a prison camp for foreign

terrorism suspects. Critics have condemned it as a symbol of abuses in

Washington's war on terrorism launched after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Caracas-born Mendoza, 22, who visited the facility March 20-25 along with Miss

USA Crystle , 27, enthused about her Guantanamo trip as an " incredible

experience " in a blog entry posted on the Miss Universe website dated March 27,

2009.

" It was a loooot of fun!, " Mendoza wrote, describing how she and met

U.S. military personnel and took rides around the camp, which is encircled by a

barbed-wire fenced, minefields and watchtowers. She said they also visited a bar

on the base and the " unbelievable " beach there.

" We visited the Detainees camps and we saw the jails, where they shower, how

the(y) recreate themselves with movies, classes of art, books. It was very

interesting, " she wrote.

" I didn't want to leave, it was such a relaxing place, so calm and beautiful, "

she added.

Former detainees and human rights groups have alleged the use of torture,

including " waterboarding " (simulated drowning) and other physical abuses, at the

Guantanamo prison.

In a statement, the Miss Universe Organisation said Mendoza and 's trip

to Guantanamo was part of a longstanding relationship with the USO and its

entertainment program " which boosts the morale of U.S. troops. "

" Dayana Mendoza's comments on her blog were in reference to the hospitality she

received while meeting the members of the U.S. military and their families who

are stationed in Guantanamo, " Miss Universe Organisation President a M.

Shugart said in the statement.

" We will continue to show our appreciation and express our gratitude to the

military personnel who serve our nation, " Shugart said.

Recounting her " memorable " trip, Mendoza, who was crowned Miss Universe 2008 in

Vietnam, said: " We also met the Military dogs, and they did a very nice

demonstration of their skills. All the guys from the Army were amazing with us. "

Britain announced last week it would investigate whether members of its secret

services were complicit in the torture of a British resident released from

Guantanamo Bay last month.

Spanish prosecutors may decide this week whether to start an investigation of

six former officials from W. Bush's administration in connection with the

torture of Guantanamo detainees.

In one of his first acts in office, U.S. President Barack Obama set a one-year

deadline for shutting the prison.

The Pentagon said last month it had received renewed reports of prisoner abuse

during a recent review of conditions at Guantanamo, but had concluded that all

prisoners were being kept in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

(Additional reporting by Jane Sutton, editing by Vicki )