Frei Betto: The US Blockade against Cuba Must End

Brazilian theologian Frei Betto said in Havana that the US blockade against Cuba must end because that punitive measure is aimed at dividing the Cuban family, among other purposes.

 

Betto, who will be present in the activities to be held for Pope Francis, highlighted the importance of the pope’s visit to Cuba, the third paid by a top leader of the Catholic Church in the past 17 years.

In remarks to local and foreign press covering the event, Frei Betto stressed that the pope is breaking taboos regarding the family and its true human rights, and is trying to demonstrate the presence of all in a small place called Planet Earth, where 84 people hog the revenue of the whole world.

He is carrying on a real revolution within the Catholic Church and with this purpose he declares himself in favor of the poor and against environmental degradation, the reason why all progressive people in Latin America are happy with this stance that identifies with the contents of the theology of liberation, added Frei Betto.

The Brazilian theologian denied any kind of repression against the believers, and recalled that in the times of the armed struggle in Sierra Maestra, the priest Guillermo Sardinas was present and was authorized by The Vatican to wear an olive green soutane that also identified him as a commander of the Rebel Army.

Frei Betto referred to Pope Francis’ support to the negotiations leading to the resumption of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, adding that US President Barack Obama introduced changes in the US policy, but he must also change totally its objectives, something yet to be materialized.

Frei Betto also described as indispensable the devolution to Cuba of the territory occupied by the United States in Guantanamo and called the attention about the upcoming Pope’s visit to the eastern province of Holguin, very near to the US naval base of Guantanamo, antinipating a likely pronouncement of the visitor in this regard.

He said that after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, the Cuban people developed respect for human values and added that the church must play a role in the presentation of those values that conflict with the consumerist society.

Finally, he described the State-Church relations in Cuba as very good, which is proved by the stay here, as of today, of Pope Francis.