Cuba: We Will Free 52 Political Prisoners

[Judi Lynn]

Source: CBS News/Associated Press

HAVANA, July 7, 2010
Cuba: We Will Free 52 Political Prisoners
Church Confirms Communist Country's Offer; Largest Mass Liberation

CBS/AP) Cuba's Roman Catholic Church said Wednesday that the communist government has agreed to free 52 political prisoners and allow them to leave the country in what would be the island's largest mass liberation of prisoners of conscience in decades.

The deal was announced following a meeting between President Raul Castro and Cardinal Jaime Ortega, the archbishop of Havana. Also participating was visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez.

In a statement, Ortega's office said that those offered freedom were members of a group of 75 leading political opposition activists, community organizers and journalists who report on Cuba in defiance of state controls on media. They were rounded up in a crackdown on dissent in March 2003.

Some had previously been freed for health reasons or after completing their terms, or were allowed into exile in Spain. But 52 have remained behind bars - most serving lengthy prison terms on charges of conspiring with Washington to destabilize Cuba's political system.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/07/world/main6654823.shtml

[DesertFlower]

1. great news. nt

[Pirate Smile]

2. Hmmmm. The report that Congress has the votes to eliminate the travel ban coupled

with this report ... smells like change.

[msongs]

3. how many will the USA free? nt

[davidinalameda]

4. didn't think there were political prisoners in Cuba

:shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

6. Cuba didn't write the headline. It's completely doubtful they see hired operatives

as political prisoners.

[dipsydoodle]

9. BBC Link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/latin_america/10547660.stm

Mention had been made last week that the number of "political" prisoners was already at an all time low. I recall others in the past going to Spain too - I can think of far worse places to go.

:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

10. Interesting. Maybe they'll get to know some of the regular Cubans living and working in Spain.

I'll bet they will be disappointed with how unimpressed the Cubans who have been living there for various reasons are with their earlier careers as paid dissidents.

It may be a little disorienting, becoming a small fish in a HUGE bowl!
http://avatarfarm.com.nyud.net:8090/avatarimages/movies/laurelandhardyavatar.gif

[dipsydoodle]

11. Doubtless they'll say to each other

Another fine mess Stanley. :rofl:

Apparently a number of Colombians deported them sleves to Spain years ago and have lived there illegally ever since. The Spanish government is rounding them up to send them home but not so with Spanish speaking Cubans. Odd details here which I found in a rush : http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/colombians-spain-and-deportations/

This subject has cropped up in the past in the Latin Forum at which point I said it will actually give the Cubans freedom to the whole EU.

:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

12. Hey, you're right! I remember reading about it. This discovery that Cubans who can prove Spanish

relationship to Spanish political exiles long ago can get Spanish citizenship kicked up a real sensation a year or two or so ago in Cuba.

Here's the thread on it started by Billy Burnett:

Hundreds of Cubans line up to become Spaniards http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/828409.h...

Starting Monday, hundreds of thousands of descendants of Spaniards who went into political exile around the world will be able to petition for Spanish citizenship under the provisions of a law intended as reparation for past injustices.

In Havana, hundreds of people have been standing in line since Thursday outside the Spanish Embassy to obtain the necessary application forms.

Estimates indicate that some 200,000 Cubans on the island could be eligible for Spanish citizenship.

In South Florida, where about 1.3 million naturalized U.S. citizens of Hispanic origin reside, Santiago Cabañas, Spanish Consul General in Miami, said he believes that thousands may petition for citizenship, especially among the Cuban and Venezuelan communities.

It is estimated that 500,000 to one million people around the world could benefit from the so-called ''Law of Grandchildren,'' approved in December of 2007 to grant the rights of citizenship to the descendants of Spaniards who were exiled for political reasons.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x10748

[dipsydoodle]

13. Thanks for finding that Judi.

:thumbsup:

[RZM]

15. True enough

But what regime that holds political prisoners sees them as political prisoners? I think all regimes that do that kind of thing see such people as simply 'criminals.'

[Judi Lynn]

16. It would be a benefit for you if you took some time to familiarize yourself with the subject.

The crimes for which these people were found guilty are crimes which would earn people HERE in that position time in prison, and enormous fines.

What this country will not allow from American citizens, it does finance in countries whose leaders it wants to bring down.

I'm surprised you've never stumbled across any of the elements of this situation in serious research yet.

Just jump in there and start getting the foundation for the material, the way the rest of us MUST. It's certainly available to those who look for it.

[slackmaster]

5. Will the Red Queen be one of them?

[David__77]

7. Why would they do this?

Is this a complete pardon? It seems to undermine the very bases under which they were convicted in the first place. If it's not worth penalizing them now, why was it worth it before?

[ProudDad]

8. Last I heard they're going to be deported...

If you take money from the USAmerikan Empire to undermine your own country and people, be prepared to suffer the consequences...

It's good, send them to the capitalist paradise...they'll soon learn what they've given up for a few crumbs from the table of the Plutocrats...

[Judi Lynn]

17. Absolutely! It became their careers, and identities.They'd be screwn without their former status. nt

[dipsydoodle]

14. Associated news item : EU 'should respond' to Cuba move to release prisoners

Spain has called on the European Union to soften its position on Cuba in light of Havana's agreement to release 52 political detainees.

Its foreign minister said there was now no reason for the EU to maintain its common position.

The EU had refused to normalise ties with Cuba until Havana improves its human rights record.

The pledge to release the prisoners is the largest prisoner release by the communist authorities for decades.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/latin_america/10552222.stm

[Judi Lynn]

18. Since Regan's Presidency, the Cuban "exile" lobby has been busy overtime

twisting arms in Europe to back them up, getting their strongest backing from Czechoslovakia. They've haunted UN meetings in Geneva, and the little creepy guy, Cuban "exile" Frank Calzon even acted such an ass at the personal level it earned him a swift punch from a Cuban delegate. From excellent blogger, DU member Magbana:

Hot Human Rights Council: 2009-Golpista Diplomat Dumped, 2004-Cuban Diplomat Gives Someone Something They Deserve
September 14, 2009

~snip~

While this was a very exciting day in Geneva, nothing can beat what happened at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission in 2004. Traditionally, the US and its cronies challenge attempts by left countries to become members of the Commission and do so by claiming the countries have lousy human rights records. In 2004, the US tried to screw Cuba out of a seat on the Commission by inviting Cuban-American, Frank Calzon, to make a presentation on human rights in Cuba. There are only two things you need to know about Calzon. First, he is hands down the most irritating gusano in the US. And, he doesn’t even live in Miami! Second, Calzon is the Director of a Washington “NGO” called the Center for a Free Cuba which he uses to suck up USAID money like a Hoover, thereby funding his counter-revolutionary activities.

Okay, back to Geneva. Calzon makes the most lie-filled presentation imaginable. Immediately afterwards, the Commission votes on Cuba’s worthiness to be a formal member of the UN Human Rights Commission, but Cuba comes up one vote short. Calzon came and then conquered and now it was time to boast about it all in a TV Marti interview. He exited the room and headed for the TV camera. At the same time, a Cuban diplomat, travelling on an escalator, jumped over the side and strided toward Calzon. Frankie never knew what hit him. The Cuban sucker-punched him, putting him out – - cold. Security guards and US diplomats (they must have known that somebody would want to punch Frankie) jumped in and tried to apprehend the sucker-puncher. But, no, the Cuban wasn’t going anywhere. What’s the use of having diplomatic immunity, if you can’t punch out the SOB who is trying to destroy your country?

http://hondurasoye.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/hot-human-rights-council-2009-golpista-diplomat-dumped-2004-cuban-diplomat-gives-someone-something-they-deserve/

http://img.youtube.com.nyud.net:8090/vi/-N5xdqOuTWo/0.jpg http://img.youtube.com.nyud.net:8090/vi/JIff6t_cxLY/0.jpg

Frank Calzon

[Robb]

20. Judi, OT but I wanted to say

...I know we seem to agree on very little these days, but I still count on you for informed discussion of Cuba and LatAm issues. Thanks for continuing to bird-dog these issues for all of us.

[Judi Lynn]

21. Very glad if it can help. The subject is wildly more important than we have been led to believe. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

23. It has always been held out as one of the sticking points, the reasons fascist idiots

have given for making life unbearable for the Cubans, saying a crippling embargo will only encourage them to meet these requirements in order to get them to lighten up on Cuba, end the devastating economic warfare.

So they do their part and then WHAT? Apparently the ones with Cuba in the vise will continue to sit on their thumbs, regardless.

http://rreloj.files.wordpress.com.nyud.net:8090/2008/10/20061109043519-no-al-bloqueo.jpg

[unkachuck]

19. "...communist government has agreed to free 52 political prisoners..."

....I wonder, will our capitalist government ever free it's political prisoners?

[Judi Lynn]

22. That will be the day, unkachuck, unfortunately. When WE hold prisoners we're very self-righteous

about it, really puffed up with our own goodness, our own importance, apparently, and those "evildoers" are damned lucky if we don't torture them some more, then kill them, giving the cameras some old "thumbs up" while we do it.

It all boils down to who's the prisoner, and who's the alleged offended party, doesn't it? Sheesh.

Look how far we've come. We're as civilized as hell, aren't we?

[unkachuck]

24. you're absolutely right, Judi....

....the hypocrisy and double standards we use and project really stinks to the rest of the world....maybe we could get away with this crap during the cold war, but not anymore....being nasty while pretending to be righteous is a hard-sell today....

....I've often wondered, are the assholes who run this country blind or do they just not care?