A Cuban physician, brother of a former intelligence officer who defected to the United States, has been released by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service after fleeing Cuba on Sunday on a speedboat with nine other Cubans.

``I had no other option,'' said David Cohen Valdés, 30. Arriving in Boca Chica, near Key West, he was greeted by his brothers Isaac, 38, and José, 36, who left the island on a raft in August 1994.

``The Cuban government wouldn't allow me to leave -- neither with the U.S. visa I got in 1995 nor the Dominican visa I got in 1997,'' David said.

The physician's legal departure was barred by Resolution 54, a 1999 decree that forbids health professionals to leave the island.

But David Cohen also believes that he and his relatives were denied exit permits because of his brother José's defection. José worked for the intelligence service of the Interior Ministry.

Parents Isaac Cohen Levy, 61, and Daisy Valdés González, 55, were granted visas to enter the United States in 1996, but Havana has refused to grant them the permits.

Washington also granted entry visas in 1996 to José's wife, Lázara Brito, 39, and children, Yanelis, 17, Yamila, 14, and Isaac, 9.

José intensified his efforts to bring his relatives here during the Cuban government's campaign last year to reunite young Elián González with his father. Later, Rep. José Serrano, D-N.Y., joined those efforts. José Cohen's case is being handled by Greg Craig, the lawyer who represented Elián's father last year.

``We're hopeful that we may reunite someday soon,'' David Cohen said. ``At least, I've made my first dream come true -- which I can hardly believe.''

David Cohen, who graduated from medical school in 1993, was sent to practice medicine in a work camp after he requested an exit permit. He believes the assignment was a form of punishment.

``A lot of people are obsessed with the idea of leaving Cuba by any means,'' he said. ``Among physicians, there's widespread disenchantment. One option is to volunteer for the medical teams that travel overseas and see what happens later.''

The speedboat carrying David Cohen and the others left from Havana's Guanabo beach. INS officials said they believe smugglers organized the trip.