CUBA
Spain to advocate for jailed
Spain wants Cuba to allow the Red Cross to visit political prisoners as
officials defend the country's controversial overtures toward Cuba.
BY PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON --
Spain will ask Cuba to allow the Red Cross and human rights groups
greater access to the island, a top Spanish diplomat said Wednesday as
she defended Madrid's effort to establish warmer ties with Havana.
Trinidad Jiménez, who is in charge of Latin American affairs for the
foreign ministry, also told The Miami Herald that Madrid has complained
to Venezuela's government about its decision to take RCTV, an opposition
TV station, off the air.
The Spanish government's recent decision to improve relations with
Havana has angered Washington, some of the Cuban-American community,
Cuban dissidents and the Spanish opposition.
''Sometimes we ask ourselves what the U.S. policy of isolation toward
Cuba has accomplished,'' Jiménez said. ``Cuba hasn't budged an inch in
its position toward the United States . . . Some people should cast
ideological postures aside to try and obtain more effective results.''
Cuba has agreed to discuss human rights when delegations from the two
countries meet Monday -- a rare concession that Jiménez said vindicated
the Spanish position.
Among other things, Madrid will press Cuba to allow the Red Cross to
visit political prisoners. She said the harassment of dissidents by
state-sponsored mobs has stopped in recent weeks. This was not enough,
she added, but nonetheless amounted to ``positive signals.''
The Cuban Democratic Directorate, a Miami-based group that supports
dissidents on the island, said Wednesday there's been no easing of
government pressures. Amnesty International, in its annual report issued
this week, said grave restrictions and repressive acts continue.
''Any effort by any government to obtain the release of political
prisoners is welcome,'' said Frank Calzon, the head of the
Washington-based Center for a Free Cuba, an anti-Castro organization. He
criticized Spain for giving too many concessions without getting
anything in return. ``This whole thing has been a farce.''
Jiménez said ``we're not going to achieve in three months what hasn't
been achieved in 50 years.''
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