Big Weekend Coming Up

With the Cuba Nostalgia Convention rapidly approaching, I've wanted to post a bit more this week. However, life usually takes over and little time has been available for me to post.

Part of the reason for my busy schedule is getting things done around the house so I can help out Val at the Babalu Blog booth at the convention. Val is starting to get things set up at the site and it promises to be a big success. I am looking forward to being there Saturday and Sunday.

Another big event this weekend is the Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Havana, Cuba. I've been receiving several e-mails daily with updates and press releases concerning the event. This has the potential to be a turning point in the fight to eradicate Cuba of its brutal regime. Already there have been participants in Cuba who have been detained and have disappeared because of their involvement. Here's the official press release:

Through a telephone call at 6 PM today, we were informed by Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello, that member of the opposition movement and activist of the Assembly, Antuan Clemente Hernández, has disappeared, after receiving a citation from the political police (state security) on May 12th. The Center’s representative also spoke with Emilio Leyva, President of “Frente Línea Dura” and member of the Assembly, who was released by the political police today at 2:18 PM, after having been instructed that he would have to appear in the police station as soon as he was summoned. Emilio Leyva added that state security forces are intent on harassing his wife and six-year old son, who they visited today at 6 AM. When Martha Beatriz proceeded to complete her report on repression, the telephone line was abruptly disconnected.

There have also been reports of children of the participants being held for questioning, as well as the expulsion of two Polish participants.

It's obvious that fidel and his cronies want nothing more than for the meeting to be disrupted or cancelled. Despite these threats, arrests, and acts of aggression....at least 55 delegates from all over Cuba have arrived in Havana for the meeting. In addition, delegates from Europe have arrived in Cuba.

Gatherings are also scheduled in several European capitals to coincide with the Assembly's meeting.

For more information on this...please stop by Babalu Blog and Paxety Pages for excellent posts.

Let's hope this is the beginning of the long-awaited change in Cuba.