Page 11 - ATD19September2015

WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 19 September

Pope plans to duck dissidents in Cuba, spawning criticism

Dissident Eliecer Avila, head of the opposition group Somos Mas, stands at the entrance of his thor of “The Great Reform- tried to deliver a list of po-
home in Havana, Cuba. “It’s essential that the pope delivers a message to the government of er: Francis and the Making litical prisoners to Ortega
Cuba,” Avila said. of a Radical Pope.” during a July 4 party at the
Francis has a close relation- residence of the top U.S.
(AP Photo/Desmond Boylan) ship with Cardinal Jaime diplomat in Havana. The
Ortega, the archbishop cardinal refused to accept
A. RODRIGUEZ country and may speak to II nor Pope Benedict XVI of Havana who has over- it, telling reporters it wasn’t
M. WEISSENSTEIN President Raul Castro in pri- met with dissidents dur- seen the church’s rela- the appropriate forum.
Associated Press vate about the same topic. ing their respective 1998 tionship with the Cuban The dissident said Ortega
HAVANA (AP) — Pope But in shying from meetings and 2012 visits to Cuba, state since 1981. Ortega threatened to call security
Francis plans to meet with with dissidents, the pope prompting similar criticism. has been fiercely criticized and have him thrown out.
Cuba’s president and its is hewing largely to the Lombardi noted that a pos- by dissidents in Cuba and “There’s a very great ner-
priests, its young and its Cuban Catholic Church’s sible occasion for bringing anti-Castro forces in Mi- vousness in the Cuban
sick, its churchgoers and strategy of advocating for up Cuban’s human rights ami for not confronting the church about being seen
its seminarians as he travels change within bounds laid situation could be during government as the church to be in any way abet-
around the island starting out by the communist state Francis’ private meeting has done in other places ting the political opposi-
Saturday. But not with its rather than pushing the with Raul Castro, or while around the world. tion in Havana,” Ivereigh
dissidents. system to change as John the Vatican secretary of Despite the assertions of said. “They have gone out
The absence on Francis’ Paul II did in Eastern Europe. state, Cardinal Pietro Pa- rights groups that there are of their way — some say
agenda of any meeting There is no one Cuban of- rolin, meets with his Cuban still dozens of political pris- they may have gone too
with the political opposi- ficials consider more out counterpart. oners in Cuba, Ortega told far in being supportive —
tion has sparked bitter cri- of bounds than the coun- “Often, these types of reporters in June he wasn’t but I think they’re playing
tiques from dissidents who try’s dissidents, whom they problems are dealt with in aware of any, saying: “It’s the long game and I think
say they feel let down by call mercenaries paid by conversations, not so much really difficult to interpret they know this is a process
an institution they believe the U.S. government and with public proclamations who’s a political prisoner.” of evolution rather than re-
should help push for great- Cuban-American interest but in personal, direct or The next month, a dissident gime change.”q
er freedom in Cuba. groups in Miami. private discussions,” Lom-
“He should exert more pres- Vatican spokesman Fed- bardi said. “The tradition of
sure,” said Antonio Rodiles, erico Lombardi said this the Holy See’s authority is to
head of the hardline group week that Francis had not deal with them with a dis-
Estado de SATS. “In many accepted any invitations cretion that can often be
cases political systems to meet with dissidents, more efficient than other,
have come under inter- and well-known opposition possibly more visible but
national pressure that has members told The Associ- less opportune ways.”
resulted in change, and ated Press they have re- The pope “will be well
that’s what needs to hap- ceived no invitation to see aware that his not meeting
pen with Cuba.” him. dissidents will be construed
Papal observers say it’s like- Popes rarely meet with in some quarters as kow-
ly Francis will speak strongly political opposition figures towing to the regime but
to Cubans about the need during their foreign trips he won’t care about that,”
for greater freedom in their and neither St. John Paul said Austen Ivereigh, au-