EU Officials Expelled From Cuba

(Havana, Cuba) According to this report, two European Union politicians visited Havana to speak at a pro-democracy conference but, instead, they were seized Thursday by police, driven to the airport, and expelled from the country. Czech Senator Karl Schwarzenberg and German MP Arnold Vaatz had arrived to address dissidents opposed to the Communist rule of Cuban President Fidel Castro. Two former Spanish senators and a legislator were also expelled on Thursday and two Polish members of the European Parliament, Boguslav Sonik and Jacek Protasiewicz, were denied entry. Four journalists were taken into custody, three from Poland and one from Italy.

Notably, the Spanish Socialist government encouraged the European Union to upgrade its relations with Cuba and it did so in January. Consequently, Europeans show up in Cuba to develop and foster a closer relationship with the government and people of Cuba. Unfortunately, it seems nobody cleared the upgraded relationship with Castro and he's not having anything to do with it.

There's currently a flurry of jabbering in European diplomatic circles with lots of complaints and official protests, but you know that nothing will happen unless Castro says it will or dies. The intentions and initiatives of the European Union are meaningless as long as Cuba is under the murderous iron fist of communism.

The dissident rally was held as planned with a reported 200 people attending. Organizers believe a number of people stayed away for fear of being arrested. Interested-Participant applauds those bold and brave souls who attended with three words of caution -- watch your back.