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Desmond Boylan / Reuters
People walk near the Church of Our Virgin of Charity in Havana, which has been taken over by dissidents, Wednesday.
HAVANA, Cuba -- Cuban dissidents have occupied a Roman Catholic church in Havana in what a Church spokesman said was part of a broader orchestrated action to get Pope Benedict to press for change when he visits later this month.
Thirteen men and women who said they were members of political parties went into the Church of Our Virgin of Charity in central Havana on Tuesday and refused entreaties from Church officials to leave, according a statement from the archbishop's office in Havana.
It said similar incidents had happened in other churches in the country on Tuesday, but that elsewhere the dissidents had since "abandoned the temples."
Vladimir Calderon Frias, 47, told Reuters through a locked gate at the Havana church that he was executive director of the National Republican Party.
Only church can end 'suffering'
He said he and his colleagues were demanding freedom for political prisoners, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and better salaries, among other things.
The Catholic Church, he said, was the only institution that "can mediate for the end of the suffering of the Cuban people."
"We're doing it prior to the coming of the pope because we don't want any other thing except that the Vatican hears it," Calderon added.
Cuba's Ladies in White call dissident death 'murder'
The Church statement said that the occupation “has to do with a strategy prepared and coordinated by groups in various regions of the country.”
The statement added that its officials had been in constant contact with the government throughout the incident and that authorities assured them no action would be taken against the dissidents.
The Church called the occupation "an illegitimate and irresponsible act."
"Nobody has the right to convert the churches into political trenches," the statement said.
As pope visit nears, spotlight on Cuba's cardinal
Human rights activist Elizardo Sanchez said a group of 25 in eastern Holguin province was ejected from a church by the local archbishop and that in nearby Las Tunas dissidents were detained before they could occupy their target church.
The German-born pontiff will come to Cuba March 26-28 after a three-day visit to Mexico.
The Church, led in Cuba by Cardinal Jaime Ortega, the archbishop of Havana, has in the past two years helped negotiate the release of political prisoners, stepped in to ease government harassment of the dissident group Ladies in White and pushed President Raul Castro to move ahead with reforms liberalizing Cuba's Soviet-style economy.
'We love Fidel'
The dissidents' presence attracted loud disagreement from some passers-by who said they supported the government.
"We love Fidel (Castro), we love Raul (Castro), we love our government," said retiree Heriberto Serrano, 65.
"These people are confused, these people are people of low cultural level, because he who has no culture is the only one that can go against the country and the revolution," he said.
Last month, a crowd of government supporters surrounded the home of a leading Cuban dissident where opposition activists were quietly paying homage to a hunger striker who died two years ago.
Some 200 pro-government protesters shouted slogans and insults at members and supporters of the Ladies in White opposition group at the home of Laura Pollan, the late leader of the dissident group.
"Down with the worms!" and "Long Live Raul!" the government partisans shouted, the latter a reference to Cuban President Raul Castro.
Cuba considers all dissidents to be mercenaries sent by Washington to destabilize the island's government. Pro-government protesters occasionally show up to scream insults at Ladies in White gatherings, particularly on important dates or anniversaries.
Cuba maintains the counterprotests are spontaneous, though little is done to disguise coordination with security agents on the scene.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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"These people are confused, these people are people of low cultural level, because he who has no culture is the only one that can go against the country and the revolution," he said.
Must be nice to not have to "think"; to believe everything that your government tells you, and to believe that Cubans had no "culture" before the revolution, or don't have a "culture" because they don't embrace the officially scripted and sanctioned one. Comforting even. Right.
"Occupy Church" movement expands through out the country. Will they be evicted like another group was in America or does Cuba have more rights?
Dick,
Cuba has less rights. That's why it's Occupy Church and not Occupy Havana. The church won't shoot them.
denver bill 2 Cuba has less rights, but Cuba doesn't shoot people, it even has a moratorium on capital punishment, Texas has executed more inmates in any given year than Cuba in the last 15.
However, if the church asks, the police will remove those protesters, they are occupying church property.
your wrong, cuban govt has killed
what5000 and you can't read; I said Cuba has a moratorium on capital punishment, not that they didn't kill people before by firing squad.
Those occupoopers are in Cuba now?!?!
I believe the correct term is Occubans...if they take up all the seating...it's Occupew.
Don, you beat me to it. Kudos. Occupado el Vaticano!
I'm sorry, but I don't think the church will help them in what they want. Yes I am not happy with religions (not just the Catholic church), and the things listed that they want, are things the church has, in history, done the opposite.
Right, the Church hasn't helped people seeking freedom, or been instrumental in ousting oppressive regimes. The communist government of China, which restricts and controls church activity, and the people of Poland, who gained freedom largely because a pope spoke out against their oppression, will back you up on on that, I'm sure. Darn old do-nothing Church.
Honestly those in Cube if you havn't left already do yourself a favor and leave. I have been to cuba and have talked to people and really there is just little hope.
I have much respect for revolutionaries and their fight. But with Cuba and it's long history of corrupt communism oppression I suggest leaving and legally becoming citizens of another nation.
Yeah, that is the solution for all Cubans, leave. Thank you for giving us that info, we have been searching for that for many years, now that your superior intelligence gave us the answer we'll do it.
Har Har Har you so funny with sarcasm. Cuban's have their own culture and a lot to be proud of. And like I said I have lot of respect for those who stay and fight to fix a corrupt government. I nowhere said all Cubans and yes I could have worded it better.
But for the two wonderful single Cuban mothers that I know, 'occupy church' simply wasn't an option for them if they wanted their children to have better lives, one of whom's husband will be locked away for many more years for doing something quite as simple as 'occupying church'.
When you have a consistently communistic country for 50-60 some odd years thats in relative close proximity to much free-er countries (not just U.S.), I'm saying it might be a more viable option to further your legacy in another nation. that's all, don't get your panties all in a bunch
Yes, definitely you could have worded better. I don't own any panties either.
Don't discount the Jesuits yet.
For the indigenous peoples of South America, the Jesuits are heroes. For Anglicans in England, they're Papist spies, hiding with daggers behind the tapestries. I like Jesuits. They're fun!
Nickolaus20,
Yeah they are! And tenatious.
If those occupiers really want any of the church's attention, they should mention contrception; just sayn.
Comments that end with "just saying", "nuff said", or "end of discussion" are extra special!
Its not the church's job to give you freedom or fight. Religion gives you strength, courage and wisdom to fight and defeat your enemies. At least the pope has enough courage and to go there. How about you? I do not think anyone who has posted a remark on this page would even dare that mission. People kill people, people start wars. How many have died in the name of religion? Now look at WWI and WWII and count how many religous people were killed by the Nazi's, Japan and Russia? These countries banned or sensored religion like Cuba. Nazis had there own pastors and there own version of the bible. The most screwed up and evil countries on the planet are those with no religion, sensored religion, or some muslim nations. How can God sit back and watch innocent people suffer and die? Good question. What will you answer when he asks you this same question? How could you sit back and watch innocent people suffer and die? What did you do to help? What will your answer be? I did not have the time? It's none of my business? Why then, should religion or God help you? I pray for all of you, not to believe, but for courage, wisdom and strength to help bring peace and justice to this world. Religous or not. God Bless! Peace to all!
They should protest the pervert priests while they are at it!
instead of protesting pervert priests why don't you go after rabi's, imams, and athiest while you're at it? so called mohaMAD married and had sex with young teenagers that could be considered children during his late years in life? what do you call that? the media just pins most of these pervert acts on "priest" when they get the chance because most of them are liberal, don't be a fool there has been plenty of jewish priest in my area that are sex offenders, just go to your city and look it up for yourself. being a pervert isn't tied to religion. all forms of "humans" are capable of unspeakable acts.
Why bother, when they can rely on people like you to "protest" pervert priests, the Catholic Church, or religion in general in venues like this, spewing hate and stereotyping as you go.
Wouldn't you think that homos and pervert priest would be along better! After all ,they are all in the same boat,so to speak!
Don't pervert priest and gays "fish" on the same side of the boat.Lets' ban the both of them!UHHH HUUH
All churches and religions should be banned and buildings should be razed LOL. Then maybe those of us who do not believe will finally have some peace heh heh.
Why don't we close all gay bars and places that gays and lesbian frequent and burn down and raze those buildings,if you want to be fair!
A world without organized religions, and all the hatred, violence, intolerance and animosity that is part of them, would be a much better place to live.
One does not need to belong to a religion to have faith in a supreme entity. Religions are nothing more than a form of control over the masses.
Sichuan
This is an interesting verse, I'm sure many Religions don't like to hear it.
John 14:25 Jesus said, "These things
have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you."
Religions want you to believe their doctrines, rather then letting God teach us His truth. religions will say because it comes from the "Word of God" the Bible it is truth, but many times they will not ever mention the Word of God "Jesus Christ" that penetrates the heart of His Servants without the Bible.
Jesus said that He is the Word. He is the Living Word, the Bible is the written Word. The problem with Religions, is they can twist the Bible to suit their Doctrines, when Jesus by His Holy Spirit can speak the real truth to our hearts and untwist the false doctrine.
His Servant
So we close all existing churches and layoff all preachers and priest.Within 1 year,some homo would start a church and the next thing would happen we would have nothing but perverts in churches and little boys still would not be safe!You boys are just mean today and hard to get along with!What's the problem,was the last night's enema to much and left you a little hissy today!Kissy, kissy!
Bite back and butt hurt!Boy I just reading these decadent threads!Should a gay response! be "I'll skratch out your eyes if you don't agree with me"!
God loves everyone, yet, He gives everyone a choice.
"God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever would believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life". John 3:16
His Servant.
Edward, You need the bible to be able to quote scripture. Jesus did not write the bible. Genesis to Revelation is " Truth " Ask yourself, How would I have been able to know about Jesus, without the bible?How would you have been even able to quote any scripture to prove anything? Your just like them all, you come up with your own to fit your lifestyle.
Edward-1730176
Tell that to the muslims heh heh :)
Time is running out for Cuba....like the world is just standing by, "tapping its foot" waiting for Fidel and his brother to pass into history....since both have seemed to "outlive real history" for much toooo long.
Maybe Fidel also wants to distance himself from having a Communist/Athiest funeral, because he also hears the "clock" ticking inside, and its time to get "real" before the train leaves the station...
"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Mathew 23: 38)
Amazing how blind fanatics can say that they love their killer atheist slavemasters Fidel and Raul.