HAVANA, July 27 (Jesús Zuñiga) – The chief of the Religious Affairs Office of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party said here that relations between the Catholic Church and the Cuban State are going through a period of mutual understanding.
Caridad Diego, at the end of a meeting with members of the U. S. group Pastors for Peace on July 25, said "The problems and differences between both sides are being explored and analyzed with a vision that's more constructive every day, promoting the points in common and the convergences."
She added that contrary to the experience of previous years, there now exist good communications and better cooperation between the Catholic Church and the Cuban government.
The Party official attributed the conflicts of previous years to the stances adopted by the hierarchy and the personnel of some religious institutions which "generated rejection and lack of trust from the people."
Diego said that the improvement in relations with the Church is due to a new attitude by religious institutions of respect for the social accomplishments of the revolution and even of growing understanding, support and participation in the efforts of the people to maintain the independence and
sovereignty of the country.
She said that "in Cuba there hasn't been religious persecution during the last 41 years, nor have priests, pastors or others been jailed for their condition or for exercising their functions."
Asked about the situation of the political prisoners in the island and the possibility that the government might release Vladimiro Roca, the only signer of the document "The Fatherland Belongs To All" still in jail, Diego said: " The so-called political prisoners are people who
are jailed for subverting the institutional order, in most cases financed and directed by the United States.
Versión original en español
CubaNet does not require sole rights from its contributors. We authorize the reproduction and distribution of this article as long as the source is credited.
| 