Cuba Slams Attempts to Politicize Pope’s Visit with Provocations

Cuba on Wednesday denounced the existence of plans promoted and financed from Miami, the United States, so the island’s counterrevolutionary groups carry out provocations aimed at politicizing Pope Benedict XVI‘s visit here.

According to an article published on Granma newspaper today, “representatives from Miami counterrevolutionaries have sent specify indications, e-messages, and money to counterrevolutionary elements in Cuba to orchestrate provocations and disrespectful actions.”

They have also given directions that those people could act as parishioners in different churches to participate in the masses and create disorder to call the attention of the international press, the text states.

The Granma article says that those actions highlight “the impotence for failing to prevent His Holiness’ visit to Cuba, on March 26-28“.

The document also warns that “such actions endanger the spirit of celebration our people is experiencing and specially the catholic community” for the arrival of the Pope, who will officiate masses in Santiago de Cuba and Havana, and will meet with government and religious authorities.

The article recalls the recent actions carried out in many places of the capital, among them the illegal occupation of a church.

The Archbishopric of Havana denounced that this is a prepared, coordinated strategy devised by groups in several regions of the country with the purpose of encouraging critical situations given the proximity of the Pope’s visit to Cuba.