In Their Words

An editorial courtesy of El Nuevo Herald and translated by yours truly:

The Spanish government has just demonstrated that, with respect to the situation in Cuba, it is not a good interlocutor.

During his visit to Cuba, (Spanish) Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos refused to meet with dissidents.

Spanish diplomats based in Havana decided to meet with the dissidents after Moratinos departed, an act which resulted in a failure due to the lack of participation from the peaceful opponents of the Cuban regime who considered the attitude of the Madrid delegation as lacking in respect.

The re-launching of diplomatic relations with Cuba, brought on by Moratinos' visit, can be considered to be a momentary victory for the castro regime, but it was a treason to the cause of freedom and provoked the refusal on the part of the dissidents. Even in Havana, accredited European diplomats working on the island showed their reservations over the results of the trip.

If Spain wants to become a true interlocutor, it has to listen to both sides: the dissidents as well as the regime.