November 9, 2010
This summer, amidst increasing domestic and international pressure, the Cuban Catholic Church and the Spanish government took it upon themselves to sideline Cuba's courageous dissidents and begin a series of negotiations with the Castro regime.
These culminated in an announcement, on July 7th, that the Castro regime would release 52 political prisoners (arrested during the "Black Spring" crackdown of 2003) within a four-month period.
Last night, four-months passed and the result is clear: 39 of the 52 prisoners announced for release have been forcibly exiled to Spain. Meanwhile, the other 13 remain in prison because they refuse to be exiled abroad.
In sum, no political prisoners have been released in Cuba.
Yet, back in July, Cuba's Cardinal Jaime Ortega referred to exile in Spain as an "option" (not a "condition").
So yesterday, upon it becoming clear that the deadline would pass without the remaining 13 being released in Cuba, Father Jose Felix Perez, who coordinates Cuba's Catholic Bishops Conference, said "it is not what we thought would happen."
Needless to say, either someone is extraordinarily ingenious -- or just lying.
More "reform" you can't believe in.
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