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Yahoo! June
12, 2003.
Castro Protests EU Decision With March
By Anita Snow, Associated Press Writer.
HAVANA - President Fidel Castro led hundreds of thousands of people Thursday
in a march past the Spanish Embassy to protest European support of U.S. policies
that nurture pro-democracy activism on the communist island.
Surrounded by security men and close aides, the 76-year-old bearded leader
marched in his trademark olive green fatigues for about 10 minutes during a
demonstration that lasted for more than two hours.
His brother and designated successor, 72-year-old Defense Minister Gen. Raul
Castro, led a march past the Italian Embassy on the other side of Havana.
"Down with fascism!" a government announcer chanted over a public
broadcast system on the Malecon coastal highway in Old Havana, one block from
the white, colonial style Spanish mission. "Long live the revolution!"
Castro's new Europe bashing underscores his growing anger over European and
U.S. support of his most vocal critics on the island, and what he says are
increased American efforts to control the world with its "neofascist
policies."
Still shaken by the U.S. government's decision to launch military action in
Iraq without broad international support, Castro seems especially upset by what
he believes is Europe's alignment with U.S. policies aimed at encouraging a
transition to democracy in the Caribbean nation.
The Cuban leader repeatedly has expressed concerns about a U.S.-led war on
his country, despite numerous assurances from Washington that no military action
is contemplated.
Marchers carried small red, white and blue Cuban flags and signs ridiculing
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi as
fascists.
Outside the Spanish mission, signs referred to Aznar as a "little
Fuhrer." Placards around the Italian embassy called the premier "Benito
Berlusconi," a reference to fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
The marches, which paralyzed traffic and business activity in the nation's
capital, were broadcast live on state-run television.
They came a week after the European Union announced it was reviewing its
policies toward the island because of concerns over human rights.
Earlier this year, governments around the globe strongly condemned Castro's
regime for sentencing some of its harshest critics to prison terms ranging from
six to 28 years.
Cuban prosecutors accused the dissidents of working with American diplomats
to subvert the island's socialist system — a charge the activists and U.S.
officials denied.
European nations, which traditionally have opposed the death penalty, also
protested Cuba's quick trials and firing-squad executions of three men who
hijacked a ferry filled with passengers and tried to reach the United States.
Cuba has defended the executions as necessary to halt a migration crisis.
In its statement last week, the European Union said it was "deeply
concerned about the continuing flagrant violation of human rights and of
fundamental freedoms of members of the Cuban opposition and of independent
journalists."
EU members unanimously agreed to reduce high-level governmental visits and
participation of in cultural events on the island. They also said they would
review overall relations.
The European nations also agreed to invite dissidents to national holiday
celebrations at their embassies in Havana as a sign of support for the island's
internal opposition.
Castro's willingness to alienate the 15-member bloc that serves as his
nation's most important source of trade and tourism demonstrates the depth of
his anger over the EU's new stance.
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on Wednesday used language usually used
for Washington when he accused Spain of funding dissident groups and criticized
Italy for cutting cultural and cooperation programs with Cuba.
Cuba Claims EU Serving American Interests
HAVANA, 12 (AP) - Cuba lashed out at the European Union on Wednesday,
accusing the 15-nation bloc of serving U.S. interests through recent criticisms
of the Fidel Castro government.
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, using language usually reserved for
Washington, accused Spain's government of funding dissident groups that Havana
claims are being organized by the United States.
Perez Roque made a vague threat to Madrid's Spanish Cultural Center in
Havana, saying "Cuban authorities will take the appropriate measures to
convert this center into an institution that truly meets the noble aim of
popularizing Spanish culture."
Later, the government urged Havana residents to join a protest planned for
Thursday outside the embassies of Spain and Italy. As many as 1 million people
are expected to participate in the rally, state television said.
The European Union has been criticized in Cuba for announcing a review of
its policies toward the island after Castro's government imposed prison
sentences of up to 28 years on a group of dissidents and executed three men who
hijacked a passenger ferry.
In Brussels, Belgium, EU spokesman Diego de Ojeda declined to specifically
address Cuba's charges.
"Our main objective is to integrate Cuba back into the community of
democratic and market economy nations," De Ojeda said. "We need Cuba
to at the very least respect a minimum standard of the most basic human rights."
The statement from the European Union on Thursday said it was "deeply
concerned about the continuing flagrant violation of human rights and of
fundamental freedoms of members of the Cuban opposition and of independent
journalists."
EU members unanimously agreed to reduce high-level governmental visits,
reduce the participation of member states in cultural events on the island and
review relations overall.
Less than two months ago, the EU opened a new office in Havana that
officials hoped would improve and deepen relations between Europe and the
communist-run country.
"It's too much," Perez Roque said. "After exhausting its
patience and capacity for dialogue and tolerance, Cuba feels obliged to reply to
what it considers to be the European Union's hypocritical behavior."
In April, the Cuban government sentenced 75 activists to prison terms
ranging from six to 28 years for allegedly working with American diplomats to
undermine the island's socialist system. The dissidents and U.S. officials deny
the allegations. | 
