Although she was forced into the spotlight at a young age by the vicious murder of her father by the Castro dictatorship, Rosa Maria Paya has risen to the occasion and is quickly becoming a leader for all Cubans.
From the Ashes of Her Father, Arises a Leader
This week, we have been following Rosa Maria Paya, the daughter of deceased Cuban pro-democracy leader Oswaldo Paya, during her visits to Chile and Uruguay, where she has met with dignitaries and journalists, supporters and detractors.
Judging by her courage, poise, persuasion and grace, it is clear that we are witnessing a leader in the making.
“My invitation to [Uruguay’s President] Mujica is to notice the pain of the Cuban people.” He can notice it and still rationalize it, justify it or simply not care. He can do what Brazil’s President Lula did with the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo, which he dismissed as just a delinquent coming to a predictably bad end. It’s beyond clear that Cuba has a longstanding totalitarian dictatorship, which is ALL anyone should need to know to condemn it. Those who don’t are not clueless, deceived or confused; they are at best indifferent and most likely hypocritical, and they may certainly be worse, much worse. It’s fine to try to open people’s eyes on Cuba, but it’s not that the Latrines don’t see–they simply don’t want to.