Bringing Cubans to heel
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Fifty-two Cuban political prisoners might soon be enjoying their rum and cigars again, now their government has agreed to free them. Their release, which came after the Spanish foreign minister stepped in, could signal a breakthrough in Havana’s relations with the EU.
Havana Archbishop Jaime Ortega declared yesterday that the Cuban government will release 52 of the 75 opposition activists and journalists who were arrested during the so-called Black Spring operation in 2003.
The declaration comes hot on the heels of a flying visit by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, who pushed for the release. Analysts say Mr Moratinos may just have tipped the balance, after nearly two months of talks between the Catholic Church and the Castro government.
Moratinos' visit came as the condition of high-profile Cuban hunger striker Guillermo Fariñas became extremely critical.
Spain has been trying to normalise relations with Cuba since José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero took office in 2004.
His right-wing predecessor José María Aznar - keeping his policy in line with that of the George W Bush administration - maintained a tough stance, even prohibiting Spain's royal couple from visiting Cuba's independence centenary in 1998.
Zapatero's government took on a long-term approach to improve relations with the island. It continued this proactive stance during its EU presidency earlier this year, but it only yielded results just after Belgium took over.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton welcomed the news from Cuba, while Madrid expressed the hope that the EU would use its success as a starting point for improving relations with Havana.
