Cuba: What really happened in the Holguín cathedral

[flamingdem]

http://progreso-weekly.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3134:what-really-happened-in-the-holguin-cathedral&catid=36:in-cuba&Itemid=54&utm_source=Copy+of+What+really+happened&utm_campaign=What+happened&utm_medium=email

HAVANA, 17 March 2012 – Radio Progreso Alternativa & Progreso Weekly – The occupation Tuesday the 13th by opponents of the Cuban government occurred not only at the Church of Our Lady of Charity in Havana but also in other provinces of Cuba. However, as we have mentioned in previous reports, only the sit-in in the capital lasted 48 hours, until the moment the demonstrators were removed because their talks with religious authorities had no effect.

In Holguín, capital of the province of the same name (800 kilometers east of Havana), another opposition group tried to carry out a similar event but gave up after a few hours.

We are reprinting an official note from the Bishop of Holguín, Msgr. Emilio Aranguren, in which he describes the events at that temple and denies allegations made in Miami that he struck one of the demonstrators. The translation into English is by Progreso Weekly.

Press release from the Bishopric of Holguín

AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLY CATHEDRAL CHURCH ON TUESDAY 13 MARCH 2012

The Most Rev. Emilio Aranguren Echeverría, Bishop of Holguín

From the start, I must say that what has been published on the basis of testimony from several of the people present is totally distorted, even manipulated and, of course, false. MORE AT LINK

[Judi Lynn]

1. So glad you have reminded us of this fine website, and its radio station.

I learned about it over 10 years ago at the old CNN US/Cuba relations message board, now defunct, from people who lived in Miami and posted at CNN's Cuba board.

I have been so busy I flatly forgot how terrific that site is.

From another article at Progresso Weekly:

The Vatican condemns the U.S. blockade against Cuba while opposition members occupy churches
Saturday, 17 March 2012 22:08 Progreso Weekly/RPA

~snip~
It is not the first time that the Vatican declares its opposition to the blockade against Cuba, which was also expressed by John Paul II during his visit to Cuba back in January 1998. Nevertheless, the church´s attitude is at odds with some statements made by internal opponents as well as Miami´s right-wing media, intent on introducing a division between alleged catholic devotees and ecclesiastical authorities in the island, as shown by several occupation attempts recently carried out in churches and by the subsequent propagandistic versions of events and the waging of personal attacks against Cardinal Jaime Ortega and other church authorities.

Among all those attempts of illegal occupation, only those carried in Holguín and Havana went beyond a conversation with priests in the occupied temples who managed to talk invaders out of religious precincts. In the other two cases, versions “reported” by Miami media quote “accounts”, some of them anonymous, of police brutality and physical aggression against one of the occupants exerted by no less than Holguín´s Bishop, Monsignor Emilio Aranguren. In both occasions, authorities of the Cuban Catholic church have denied the occurrence of violence and strongly criticized the politicized character of events. According to the press note signed by Orlando Márquez Hidalgo, spokesman of the Archbishopric of Havana, “the action to put an end to occupation (which) began at 9:00 p.m. local time, lasted less than ten minutes. The thirteen occupants were invited to leave the temple and did not offer resistance.” Emphasis is ours.

The Havana Archbishopric´s statement is at variance with the contradictory affirmations made by Vladimir Calderón, who was leading the occupation in the capital´s church. In a paradoxical assertion made to AFP, Calderón said that they were “deceived by several church officials”, because “they opened the (temple) door, letting in 28 anti-riot policemen who immobilized them and dragged them out against their will, he narrated.

~snip~

In view of the position of the Catholic Church in Cuba and the Vatican support to its attitude, as well as its statement against blockade and the visit of Benedict XVI himself to the island, one could wonder who is getting what with such incidents and their manipulative follow up. It is obvious that someone is lying.

http://progreso-weekly.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3135:the-vatican-condemns-the-us-blockade-against-cuba-while-opposition-members-occupy-churches&catid=36:in-cuba&Itemid=54

[flamingdem]

2. Thanks Judy!

That's exactly why I posted -- it's a great publication and we know it is difficult to get good information about Cuba. I forget about it too and need to make it more of a regular read.

[Peace Patriot]

3. The following (from the OP) are the words of the Bishop of Holguín...

"From the start, I must say that what has been published on the basis of testimony from several of the people present is totally distorted, even manipulated and, of course, false. " --Rev. Emilio Aranguren Echeverría, Bishop of Holguín (from the OP)

I had to go to the original to be clear about this, because of the lack of identification of a quote. And it's quite important that the bishop himself is saying that the people present made false and "even manipulated" statements. We can have our opinions but he was there.

The Church in LatAm has so often been manipulated and politicized by the CIA and its fascist operatives that it's notable when a high churchmen in authority fights back against this kind of crap.

It's a fascinating account of the event--for several reasons. One is that the level of detail lends credence to the account. The Bishop is observant and exact. And some side reasons (probably irrelevant) are his analogy of being in church and going to a movie. (Odd analogy.) He says that people leave when "the show is over." (I'm sure he didn't mean to mock his own "shows" but it's humorous anyway.) The other is the use of the word "temple" for church--is this a translation problem? I wondered for a moment if he was somehow defending a synagogue from occupation.

He tried to draw these "occupiers" into prayer, saying the Rosary and Mass--but they weren't much interested and kept taking out their cell phones (which he asked them not to do). He doesn't characterize them but I will: Obstinate, "Tea Party-ish," and highly manipulated lower level "soldiers" in a CIA campaign to disrupt Cuba and topple its leftist government, which is recognized throughout the world as the legitimate government of Cuba (except by the Miami mafia and the U.S. government).

[joshcryer]

4. So the priest didn't ask for immunity for the protesters?

That's very interesting, to be sure. Not only were they allowed to disrupt and temporarily occupy the Church, they weren't punished for it.