Cuban dissident group Ladies in White has sent a letter to Barack Obama , endorsing him, and his announced Cuba policy, for President of the US. If you don’t know about the Ladies in White, this wikipedia article gives a very supperficial background. In short they are a group of women, wives and other relatives, of dissidents imprisoned in Cuba in 2003 during the event known as Black Spring. Except for a few government organized counter protests these ladies have been allowed to perform their weekly ritual, but recently there has been an escalation from the Cuban government, and the Ladies have been arrested, dragged, and carried away in government vehicles.
For what it’s worth, I agree with the Ladies in White that dialogue with Cuba is the only way to change things. However I am pessimistic about both Obama’s ability, if elected, to start a meaningful dialogue with Cuba, and with the Cuban government’s willingness to engage in such a dialogue.
In a strange twist, on May 25th an editorial from Fidel Castro published in Cuba’s newspaper, more or less endorses Obama too. At least, Fidel considers him the better of the three candidates:
“No cuestiono la aguda inteligencia de Obama, su capacidad polémica y su espíritu de trabajo. Domina las técnicas de comunicación y está por encima de sus rivales en la competencia electoral. Observo con simpatía a su esposa y sus niñas, que lo acompañan y animan todos los martes; es sin duda un cuadro humano agradable.”
Translated:
“I don’t question Obama’s acute intelligence, his controversial capacity, and his work ethic. He dominates communication technique, and he is above his rivals in electoral aptitude. I also observe with affection his wife and daughters, who accompany and encourage him every Tuesday, without a doubt this is an agreeable human scene.”