Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HAVANA594
2009-09-28 11:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
CUBA CHAMPIONS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY -- AS
how-toP 281135Z SEP 09 FM USINT HAVANA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4800 INFO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR PRIORITY AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA PRIORITY CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000594
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WHA CENTRAL AMERCIAN COLLECTIVE
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL CU
SUBJECT: CUBA CHAMPIONS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY -- AS
LONG AS IT'S IN HONDURAS
Classified By: Political Counselor Joaquin Monserrate for Reason 1.4(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000594
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WHA CENTRAL AMERCIAN COLLECTIVE
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL CU
SUBJECT: CUBA CHAMPIONS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY -- AS
LONG AS IT'S IN HONDURAS
Classified By: Political Counselor Joaquin Monserrate for Reason 1.4(D)
1. (C) Official Cuban voices have come alive with the events
taking place in Honduras. After weeks where the news could
not find much more to report than a baseball tournament in
Europe and a music concert in Havana, the Government of Cuba
has finally found a cause worth championing: the return of
Ernesto Zelaya to Honduras and the reaction of the de facto
government. Radio stations have put away their records to
dedicate airtime to long-winded discussions on the
"injustices" of the "fascist" putschists in charge, and TV
stations are broadcasting almost non-stop images of beaten-up
demonstrators in Tegucigalpa's streets. The official media
has even taken to critizicing their counterparts in Honduras
for their biased coverage of the news.
2. (C) On September 23, the National Assembly convened and
issued a resolution decrying the "flagrant violation of human
rights" taking place in Honduras. On September 24,
Comandante Fidel Castro himself jumped into the discussions
with an editorial warning that a regional war was possible if
the "pro-yankee and fascist government that represses unarmed
men and women" has its way. In one of his regular
editorials, he blamed the United States for engineering
Zelaya's ouster and our ambassadors in Honduras, Guatemala,
El Salvador and Nicaragua, whom he cited by name, as the
masterminds of the move. Castro also defended Brazil,
stating that the country had "nothing to do with the
situation" in Honduras.
3. (C) COMMENT: The irony of the Government of Cuba's
(GOC) boisterous defense of the winner of a democratic
contest, and of the human rights of Hondurans, and their
freedom to demonstrate freely and without government
interference is not likely to be lost on people here.
Although Cubans these days are more likely to be discussing
their own penuries, or even baseball and music concerts than
Honduras, the GOC's stridency in pushing for human rights and
democracy elsewhere will highlight their absence even more
here.
FARRAR
: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S)
^
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WHA CENTRAL AMERCIAN COLLECTIVE
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL CU
SUBJECT: CUBA CHAMPIONS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY -- AS
LONG AS IT'S IN HONDURAS
Classified By: Political Counselor Joaquin Monserrate for Reason 1.4(D)
1. (C) Official Cuban voices have come alive with the events
taking place in Honduras. After weeks where the news could
not find much more to report than a baseball tournament in
Europe and a music concert in Havana, the Government of Cuba
has finally found a cause worth championing: the return of
Ernesto Zelaya to Honduras and the reaction of the de facto
government. Radio stations have put away their records to
dedicate airtime to long-winded discussions on the
"injustices" of the "fascist" putschists in charge, and TV
stations are broadcasting almost non-stop images of beaten-up
demonstrators in Tegucigalpa's streets. The official media
has even taken to critizicing their counterparts in Honduras
for their biased coverage of the news.
2. (C) On September 23, the National Assembly convened and
issued a resolution decrying the "flagrant violation of human
rights" taking place in Honduras. On September 24,
Comandante Fidel Castro himself jumped into the discussions
with an editorial warning that a regional war was possible if
the "pro-yankee and fascist government that represses unarmed
men and women" has its way. In one of his regular
editorials, he blamed the United States for engineering
Zelaya's ouster and our ambassadors in Honduras, Guatemala,
El Salvador and Nicaragua, whom he cited by name, as the
masterminds of the move. Castro also defended Brazil,
stating that the country had "nothing to do with the
situation" in Honduras.
3. (C) COMMENT: The irony of the Government of Cuba's
(GOC) boisterous defense of the winner of a democratic
contest, and of the human rights of Hondurans, and their
freedom to demonstrate freely and without government
interference is not likely to be lost on people here.
Although Cubans these days are more likely to be discussing
their own penuries, or even baseball and music concerts than
Honduras, the GOC's stridency in pushing for human rights and
democracy elsewhere will highlight their absence even more
here.
FARRAR
: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S)
^