Paul Rusesabagina, the Rwandan activist who became world famous after his portrayal by Don Cheadle in the movie Hotel Rwanda, arrived in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday, March 29th. Rusesabagina had been serving a 25-year prison term after being convicted for alleged ties to an armed wing of the Rwandan opposition group. He was released on Friday, March 24th after Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame commuted his sentence. Rusesabagina arrived in Doha, Qatar on Monday, March 27th before he eventually flew to his home in San Antonio, Texas.
Rusesabagina is known to be a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame’s leadership and government. This has ensured that he is not welcome in Rwanda. Rusesabagina was practically living in exile in the United States but was tricked into traveling to Rwanda in 2019. A speaking opportunity was presented to him with the premise it would take place in Bujumbura, Burundi. He boarded the plane confident it would land in Bujumbura but it landed in Rwanda, where he was arrested and tried. Rusesabagina’s family and supporters called the trial a sham. Sentenced to 25 years in prison, it looked like the 68-year-old Rusesabagina would live the final years of his life in a Rwandan prison. However, Rwanda and the U.S. shared a harmonious relationship, which became soured by Rusesabagina’s imprisonment. Months of negotiations between Rwanda and the U.S. led to Rusesabagina’s release. Rwanda confirmed that a desire to mend its relationship with the U.S. led to Rusesabagina’s release from prison.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed on Wednesday that Rusesabagina had arrived in the U.S. and was reunited with his family.
“I’m pleased to welcome Paul Rusesabagina back to the United States,” Sullivan said on Twitter. “I’m grateful to those we worked closely with in the Rwandan Government to make this possible,” Sullivan said.
Rusesabagina’s daughter, Carine Kanimba, announced her father’s arrival in the U.S. on Twitter. “PAUL RUSESABAGINA IS FREE,” she wrote. “Dad has just arrived in San Antonio, Texas.”
“Thank you to EVERYONE who worked soooo hard to bring him home,” she continued. “Our Family is finally reunited today.”
Paul Rusesabagina gained worldwide fame for operating a hotel and keeping thousands of helpless people in it during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. The portrayal of those events in the film, Hotel Rwanda, catapulted him to fame. However, his fame and anti-Kagame rhetoric made him enemies in Rwanda. He accused the Rwandan government of being authoritarian and not allowing freedom to speak out against the government, accusations that have been made by several others within and outside Rwanda. LittleAfrica news previously covered Rusesabagina’s trial and sentencing.
