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Cuba, Racism, The Pope and al-Reuters
Monday, January 10, 2005   By: Juan Paxety

Is castro a as much a racist as Reuters is a dictator lover?

Here's an interesting opinion piece written by Miriam Marquez and distributed by Knight-Ridder. The subject is the EU's shameful moves to get its diplomats back on the Cuban cocktail party circuit.  Marquez points out one of the problems Cuban freedom fighters face:

There is no international will to press Fidel Castro's regime toward change. No universal approach, like there was during South Africa's apartheid when the world's largest democracies agreed to use economic sanctions to force democratic change.

Cuba has its own apartheid, and it's as much based on race as it is adherence to the communist party line. You can count the number of blacks in power there on a few fingers in an island where blacks and mixed-race Cubans dominate. But, hey, as long as Europe can get Cuban rum and cigars, and a few prostitutes for its tourists, why worry? Be happy.

A cigar and a jinetera for me, who cares about the Cubans.

Read the whole thing.

Then read this piece from al-Reuters. It's very curious, as the first paragraph proclaims:

Pope John Paul II has repeated his condemnation of the U.S. economic embargo against Communist-ruled Cuba, saying the island nation needed proper conditions for its development.

That's pretty strong stuff. Let's look for a quote from El Papa - oh, here's one, uh, maybe:

"The Holy See strongly desires that obstacles which block free communication and exchange between the Cuban nation and part of the international community be overcome soon, thus reinforcing through respectful and open dialogue with everyone, the conditions necessary for real development," he said.

Does the Pope actually refer to himself in the third person as The Holy See? Or is this a quote from some other official? In fact, the previous paragraph is this:

The Pope, who has spoken out against the embargo in the past, made his comments at a ceremony on Saturday at which Havana's new ambassador to the Vatican presented his credentials.

So, who is the "he" referred to in the quote? The Pope or the unnamed Cuban ambassador? Great writing Reuters.

But either way, calling for obstacles blocking communication and exchange to be overcome is hardly condemnation. al-Reuters is showing its love of the dictator's club once more.

Update - here.

  



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