CUBA: INNOVATIVE PUBLICATION SHUTTING DOWN, AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000360

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2017
TAGS: SOCI PHUM CU
SUBJECT: CUBA: INNOVATIVE PUBLICATION SHUTTING DOWN, AT
LEAST FOR NOW


Classified By: COM Michael Parmly; Reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (U) As has been reported widely in the media, the
Church-sponsored independent magazine called "Vitral"
(stained glass),launched in 1999, is now shutting down. Its
editor, Dagoberto Valdes, who had obtained permission and
material support from the Bishop of Pinar del Rio to run the
magazine, now has lost that support in the wake of Bishop
Jose Siro Rodriguez's retirement. Valdes's public line is:
"We ran out of ink and paper."


2. (C) Dagoberto Valdes has been unable to travel to Havana
in the past few weeks, but confirmed to us the closure of
Vitral via e-mail. Bishop Siro, on April 11, told COM and
Pol-Econ Counselor that Vitral was a constant challenge to
publish--because of political pressure against its
free-thinking format, and logistical problems obtaining
printing supplies. Siro said that at one point he purchased
four photocopiers from an ETA representative who had taken
refuge in Cuba. (Comment: Strange bedfellows, but business
is business. End Comment). The printing and circulation of
some 10,000 copies every other month was run right out of the
Bishopric. Siro said he was not surprised his successor,
Bishop Jorge Enrique Serpa, was pulling the plug on Vitral:
"It was a headache and a constant source of political
problems; he could not be under any obligation to take all
that on." COM suggested to Siro that certain international
Catholic charities might be willing to donate money to keep
Vitral in print; Siro welcomed the impulse but said the idea
was not workable. He added that Serpa's approach is to avoid
friction ("roces") with the regime.


3. (C) The degree of regime involvement in the Vitral
difficulties can only be imagined, but is not hard to detect.
Father Rodolfo Loic, parish priest in Havana and previously
secretary to Cardinal Ortega, spoke to us at length on 10

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April about who he saw behind the Vitral problem. While he
cast doubt on the degree of Vatican support for Vitral, he
reserved his main barbs for the regime here. "Vitral is only
the most visible part of the problem," Father Rodolfo
explained. The regime, increasingly nervous about popular
sentiment in the current is-it-Fidel-or-Raul-in-charge,
phase, is trying to control all publications. Caridad Diego,
Central Committee Secretary for Religious Affairs, has other
Church publications in her sights beyond just Vitral, Loic
said. He specifically mentioned "Palabra Nueva," a monthly
journal of the Havana Archdiocese, which he said had come in
for scrutiny for publishing three mildly independent pieces
in the last several months, and "Vida Cristiana," a weekly
publication distributed in Catholic Masses across the island
every Sunday. The latter, which is put out by the Jesuit
Center in Havana, contains mainly spiritual lessons and
readings, but often with a clear critique at the nefarious
effects of totalitarianism. Its editor, Father Alberto
Garcia Sanchez, told us several months ago that he is aware
the regime monitors closely what he publishes, but had been
careful about showing too heavy a hand in censoring his work.



4. (C) Comment: Bishop Siro, whose views are in line with
Cuba's democratic opposition, provided solid Church cover for
Vitral, a necessary condition for its survival. His
successor represents a more common, pedestrian Church
position in Cuba. Although it is conceivable that Valdes may
continue to circulate Vitral-esque articles electronically,
the printed version was much more important, as it was passed
around to the large majority of Cubans (a larger majority
than Haitians) who have no internet access. We will follow
up with Valdes himself when he is next in Havana.
PARMLY