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| Latin America |
| Cuba continues European Union bashing |
| 2003-06-13 |
| EFL After leading a march of hundreds of thousands of people outside the Spanish Embassy, Fidel Castro continued his criticisms of the European Union in a televised speech that stretched into the early hours of Friday. Don't they all, or does it just seem like it? Speaking to an international cultural conference Thursday evening, Castro said the 15-nation European bloc should stop being "tugged along by the United States" when it comes to Cuba. Castro's willingness to alienate Cuba's most important source of trade and tourism alarmed some of the island's dissidents, who warned that the Caribbean nation is growing more isolated than ever from the international community. The European Union on Friday repeated its demand for democratic reforms in Cuba. In Brussels, spokesman Diego de Ojeda said the EU wants closer economic and political relations with the communist government but only if Cuba becomes more democratic. During his Thursday evening address, Castro said President Bush is ignorant about Europe and was using EU members for his political agenda. "He just realized that Europe exists, and that it exists to obey," said Castro. "He does not understand any other concept of Europe." I didn't realize Fidel was trying for the Democratic nomination. Earlier in the day, Castro led hundreds of thousands of people in a march outside the Spanish Embassy to protest European support of U.S. policies aimed at nurturing pro-democracy activism in Cuba. His brother and designated successor, Defense Minister Gen. Raul Castro, led a similar march outside the Italian mission. "March or Die!" In Rome, Italy's Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the Cuban ambassador to express indignation over Castro's personal criticism of Premier Silvio Berlusconi and the rally outside the Italian Embassy. A senior Italian Foreign Ministry official expressed to Cuban Ambassador Maria de los Angeles Florez Prida "the deep indignation caused by offensive expressions used by President Fidel Castro regarding the Italian premier," said a ministry statement. During an impromptu talk on state television Wednesday night, Castro mockingly referred several times to the Italian premier as "Burlesconi," essentially likening him to clown. On signs carried by marchers Thursday, the Italian leader was portrayed as a marionette and compared to fascist leader Benito Mussolini. In Madrid, the Spanish government declined to comment further on the protests, during which Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was mocked as a "little Fuhrer." Instead, Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy expressed his government's "solidarity and closeness with the Cuban people, with whom we feel united." Cuba's protests come a week after the EU announced it was reviewing its policies toward Cuba following the sentencing of 75 dissidents to long prison terms and the firing-squad executions of three men who hijacked a ferry. The European Union said in last week's statement it was "deeply concerned about the continuing flagrant violation of human rights and of fundamental freedoms of members of the Cuban opposition and of independent journalists." EU members unanimously agreed to reduce high-level governmental visits and participation in cultural events on the island. Question, will the Hollywood left join the EU in condemming Cuba, accuse them of being Bush puppets, or ignore the whole issue? The European nations also agreed to invite dissidents to national holiday celebrations at their embassies in Havana as a sign of support for the island's internal opposition. I think old Fidel is getting senile, he's going out of his way to piss off the countries that have continued to trade with him for years. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Stick with the dissidents, tu3031. Brave bunch they are. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-06-13 17:37:18 |
| #1 Christ, Cubans vs. the EU??? Who the hell am I supposed to be rooting for in this one? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-06-13 15:57:01 |