Cuba's new leader pressed to free political prisoners

CUBA: Cuba's new president, Raul Castro, yesterday came under outside pressure to release political prisoners and allow more dissent, after taking over from his ailing brother Fidel, who ruled for almost half a century.

The 76-year-old general is expected to edge open slivers of Cuba's economy, but hopes of radical change were dashed when he vowed to stick to socialism and to consult his brother on important issues, as well as naming old guard allies to top posts.

Cuba's arch-foe, the United States, and the Vatican started to lean on the former guerrilla fighter to ease the government's grip on Cuban life, turning the spotlight on dozens jailed for disagreeing with the Castros.

"We haven't exactly asked for an amnesty," said visiting Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone when asked if the Holy See had asked for one for political prisoners.

"Freeing prisoners is a positive act that helps toward reconciliation and gives signs of hope," the cardinal told reporters after meeting foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque. He also welcomed the release of four such prisoners earlier this month.

Cardinal Bertone, who is due to meet with Raul Castro today, also criticised the 46-year US economic embargo, which has contributed to the poverty in which most Cubans live.

Washington again criticised the handing of power between brothers and laid out its main issues with the Cuban government.

"We still have a government that believes it's appropriate to keep people held as political prisoners, to deny the population their basic political and human rights and to continue with a system of governance that is fundamentally a dictatorship," said US state department deputy spokesman Tom Casey.

Last year, Raul Castro said he could be open to talks with the US once president George Bush leaves office, but on Sunday he only criticised Cuba's superpower neighbour for waging a "real war" against Cuba and its economy.

"Many people expected him to offer an olive branch to the United States and to the European community. Neither of them happened yesterday," said Jaime Suchlicki, the head of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami.

- (Reuters)

© 2008 The Irish Times

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