“The Pope wishes the Cuban population may grow united and in agreement, through patient and persevering dialogue, through gestures of reconciliation and peace that shall include all the spheres of society”: these are the words that card. Tarcisio Bertone said yesterday morning, 24th February, in Cuba during Mass in Pedro Agustin Perez Square, in the city of Guantanamo, not far from the US base that hosts the jail for alleged terrorists, sadly famous for reports of violated human rights. On the same day, just a few hours later, Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother and head of the army, who had already run the country for 19 months, was elected new president of the Council of State and prime minister by the Parliamentary assembly. To attend Mass, thousands of people came down from the eastern mountains of the country, crammed in old trucks of 50 years ago, which have been refitted as vehicles because there’s a ban in Cuba on buying or selling cars. (continued)” “
