Another Raul Castro Reform: More than 50 dissidents arrested by regime during religious celebrations yesterday
Yesterday, September 8th, was the annual celebration for Cuba's patron saint, La Virgin de la Caridad (The Virgin of Charity). The Castro dictatorship marked this important religious day in Cuba by arresting more than fifty peaceful dissidents and opposition members attending the ceremonies. No doubt, another of Raul Castro's wondrous and magnificent "reforms."
At Least 55 More Political Arrests Today
At least 22 Ladies in White were arrested today as they tried to attend Mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Charoty.Amongst those arrested were Laura Pollán, Belkis Cantillo, Aimeé Garcés, Tania Montoya y Mildred Noemi Sánchez.
They were dragged into a bus, beaten and driven away.
Moreover, 16 dissidents were arrested in the town of Guantanamo, six in Palma Soriano and one in Guantanamo, as they set to embark on a nationwide East-to-West protest march.
On this most sacred day, Castro regime again attacks Damas De Blanco
The sacrilege that is the Castro dictatorship on Thursday doubled-down on its evil when it again unleashed its dogs against its opposition on one of the most sacred days in Cuba.
A nationwide series of arrests, beatings, etc. included the detention near Santiago de Cuba of 22 members of the Cuba Damas De Blanco, which by its non-violent actions and the regime's violent reactions has proven itself one of the most effective opposition groups on the island.
The Damas, which are made up of the family members of political prisoners, have been targeted many times before. But what made Thursday's arrests especially despicable is that they occurred after they attended Mass commemorating today's feast of Our Lady of Charity, at the shrine in El Cobre named after the patroness of Cuba.
Msgr. Jorge Palma, a priest at the shrine, said the Damas were met by "people who were not there to pray."
Among those arrested were the Damas' leader, Laura Pollan and many other well known members of the group.
They were grabbed off the street, beaten and punched and thrown onto a bus. They were then driven toward Santiago de Cuba and later released.
Thursday's attacks were a replay of what has happened many Sundays this summer, mostly in Santiago but also in Havana: The Damas, armed with nothing but flowers and their courage, take to the streets to pray and to demand justice, and the Castros respond with hate and their growing fear of what the Damas represent.
But Thursday's events revealed the Castros' disdain not for not only the Damas but on this most sacred day, for all Cubans.
Our Lady -- and the Damas -- offer Cubans hope and love and yes, charity.
The Castros offer nothing but fear.
The choice for Cuba, and the world, is clear.
[...] bloggers discuss the goings-on during the feast of Cuba's patron saint, The Virgin of Charity. Photos are here and here. [...]
[...] bloggers discuss the goings-on during the feast of Cuba's patron saint, The Virgin of Charity. Photos are here and [...]