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Subscribe to RSSOn Wednesday Pope Benedict will hold a giant mass in Revolution Square. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Pope Benedict and Cuban President Raul Castro met on Tuesday for talks on a papal trip that has sparked hopes for economic and political change, but one national leader said there would be no political reform on the communist island.
Cuban television showed the pope and Castro in the Palace of the Revolution at the beginning and end of an hour-long meeting, but they did not speak to the press.
They were expected to affirm improving relations between the government and the Roman Catholic Church and discuss the Church's desire for a greater role in Cuba.
A Vatican spokesman said former leader Fidel Castro, who may or may not meet with Benedict, did not attend the talks.
Benedict arrived for what is the second papal trip to Cuba in history at a time when Raul Castro has initiated reforms boosting private enterprise and reducing the state's role. His aim is to strengthen the country's struggling Soviet-style economy and assure the future of communism.
He wants to cut 1 million jobs from bloated government payrolls, which is about 20 percent of Cuba's total workforce of 5.2 million.
To help deal with the social implications of the reforms, Raul Castro has embraced the Church as interlocutor on social issues and has improved relations that were sour for decades after Cuba's 1959 revolution.
Some Cubans have expressed hope that economic changes would be accompanied by political change in the country where the only legal political party is the Communist Party, but Marino Murillo, a vice president in the Council of Ministers and the country's economic reforms czar, told reporters that was not in the cards.
Some who had fled the revolution led by Fidel Castro traveled from Miami to Cuba to see Pope Benedict. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
"In Cuba there won't be political reform," he said in a press conference at Havana's Hotel Nacional, the international press center for the pope visit.
"In Cuba, we are talking about the update of the Cuban economic model to make our socialism sustainable," he said.
"We have studied what the whole world is doing, but we will update our socialist model with very Cuban characteristics."
Murillo's comments were not new, but stood out in the context of Benedict's visit.
The pope, who arrived in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba on Monday and gave a public Mass there, began Tuesday at a shrine to the Virgin of Charity, Cuba's patron saint, in the mountainside town of El Cobre.
He urged Cubans to "work for justice" as their country changes and prayed before an icon of the Virgin for "those deprived of freedom, those who are separated from their loved ones," in a clear reference to political prisoners as well as Cuban exiles.
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The whole Castro family needs to be strung up in the center of Havana and stoned to death by the oppressed people of Cuba, along with the entire murderous Communist party.
WHO CARES??!!
Who cares about texas issues. No one
Cuba is the most educated country in the world, with the best doctors and healthcare system. Their literacy rate is the highest in human history, and they've done all of this without U.S. aid.
Compared to most all the African countries and most of the Middle-Eastern, Eastern European, and Asian states, Cuba is amazing.
Yet the U.S. treats the Cuban government as monsters. Why? Because they're 90 miles away, and have been greatly successful in preventing American imperialism in the country. We hate them, because we can't beat them.
@Jersey Jon
Its nice that Cuba is educated, but it looks like no one reap the economical benefits of their education due to communism right?
Anyone ever wonder why the Communist Chinese are the Rights darlings, and the Communist Cubans are their nemesis . Could a large amount of money in one instance, have something to do with it???????
Could profit trump political beliefs?????
Where do you get your info?? The Communist Chinese are not the "darlings of the Right". You libs constantly make up this stuff. For all of you libs touting how great communism is, answer me this. Why do most people immigrate to the US and European countries, and not to communist countries?? People do vote with their feet. By this measure, communist countries lose big time. For you libs complaining about capitalism in the US, why do you think the US is by far the richest country in the world? North Korea, on the other hand, is one of the poorest.
TJP77 there is no precedents of stoning people to death in Cuban history, I think death by firing squad would be more appropriate to your entire family and political murdering wish.
There is more than a quarter of a million communists in Cuba, so you are calling to murder way more than what Che Guevara murdered during the early days of Castro's revolution, which shows what type of person you are.
The pope is trying to reach out to the government and the people, which is a good thing. He looks really tired, and old. Pray for the leader of our church.
um our church?
He's a creepy old man with a shady past. He can dry up for all I care.
Was there any talk of political reform within the church? Will you get to vote for your next pope? Prosecute the cardinals and bishops that shielded child molesters? Vote on whether or not birth control is acceptable?
I thought not.
Effen greedy pig of a pope is just looking for more cash to pay off the lawsuits for raping alter-boys is all.
The pope is nothing more than a pompous-ass circus clown. King daddy of the fraud called religion.
As a "cradle catholic" who is no longer a catholic or a christian.......I agree with you.
I notice you have nothing to say about the brutal regime of communism, responsible for much of modern history's suffering in the world. Typical liberal.
DunkinH, Really!!! You do not know from what you speak. What nation has been responsible for the murder of some 2 million civilians since World War II? What nation has invaded and occupied 36 nations in the last 60 years? What nation has military bases in over 30 foreign countries? What nation has been in a state of continual war for over 60 years? What nation has used nuclear weapons on civilians?
Answer: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
No, the United States is responsible for most of the misery in the world not Communists. You should look under your own bed before making irresponsible accusations and spreading US propaganda.
yes sir
McCarthy,
I don't like the death toll you are mentioning but I can assure you it would be much greater if America wasn't policing the world. America is as needed to the world as Saddam Hussein was needed to keep Iraqis in line. Saddam made the mistake of stepping over the Kuwaiti line, that's all. Considering human nature, it's not a perfect world but it's the only one we have. If you think the world would be a better place without America, or without America doing what it does, I'm afraid you are wrong. 2 million civilians lost worldwide in 67 years is pretty darn good. Without America that toll could be around 2-300+ millions. America is still progress.
Thats typical US we think we are high and mighty ignorance Mr Environment. The rest of the world does fine without you. It's when you decide to get involved things turn to crap. Communism is not as bad as the few dictators which gave it its bad name. USA is having wars and disputes with all the minor republics not the communist nations.
@McCarthy-292464
Communist countries have the blood of over 100 million lives on their hands. Don't lecture me with your America bashing when you won't even acknoledge the dispicable nature of far leftist regimes.
Leftist regimes? Like Sweden or Norway? Successful, just societies (more so than the United States) whose economy is made up of a combination of Socialism and free market Capitalism.
Yes, Fox News misinformed, both work together quite successfully!
The United States hasn't been number one in anything since the 50's, except maybe in hypocrisy or arrogance.
Noway's socialism is heavily depenadant on oil and natural gas. So is Saudi Araba, should we look to emulate their form of government as well? Sweden can only afford its socialism because it has a very vibrant private sectior which it taxes to death. It's not all it's cracked up to be either, I have family in Sweden who say the public healthcare system is terrible.
The US is number one in a lot of things, especially the internet which libtards use to bash it on a daily basis. Talk about hypocrisy.
Anyway, nice try to divert the conversation away from the ultimate liberal disease otherwise known as communism.
That would be a good place for Barrack Obama to go after he is removed from Office on January 20th, 2013
sammy, give it a rest, you dumb snot.
This has nothing to do with Obama.
Still, I'd love to watch your head explode when he wins in November ;-)
Don't hold your breath sun shine! He's going to be reelected!Of course I'm no fan of his, and even I know this guy has a full house to win!
Watch that head sammy!
The Republicans are nominating a loser. Obama is a shoe in. He won't even need to break a sweat.
Even now President Obama beats the best Republican by double digits. Wait and see how the numbers go up after the first debate. Republicans have relied on misinformation and lies to spread their sinister policies. I cannot wait to hear their Republican nominee debating evolution or climate change with the smartest man in the room. It will be a popcorn and candy event for sure.
Science and progress versus the dark ages.
No contest!
Someone once said, " If you want to avoid getting into an argument, don't talk about religion, politics or money."
Seems to be true in a lot of circumstances.
Dear Pope Benedict,
I'm glad Che Guevara is no longer around. Otherwise you would be shot dead at "The Wall" at sunrise.
....I thought Che was a hero!.....not
Nice picture of the Grand Poobah. I am wondering though if Justin Bieber does his hair? Anyone?
To ad that disgusting old pederast Pope Dumpledick to a government that is still trying to make old Soviet style communism work is a double whammy negative that poor Cuba does not need. The Cuban people have suffered enough with the Soviets, the Castro Bros., and all of the "hangers-on" of the Communist mistake.
On top of all of that suffering, they sure do not need the world's biggest criminal, and mind control organization. Cuba is too good for the pope. The Cubans should send his sorry ass packing.
Fidel and Raul Castro are heroes. They led the Cuban revolution of 1959 that overthrew the Batista dictatorship. The unpatriotic, rich Cubans who only cared for money turned their back on their country and fled to the United States. Batista was a puppet of the rich Americans who used Cuba as their private playground.
Cuba is now proud and independent and has stood up to over 50 years of terrorism and harassment from the United States government. How is that possible if the people do not support the revolution?
The United States government should end it's hypocritical and criminal economic blocade of Cuba. The United States should get out of Guantanamo and return it to Cuba. Maybe the pope should visit the United States and suggest some changes here. Our economy isn't working very well and our government is under the thumb of billionaire-financed PACs.
Why have the Cuban people not revolted? They have, where have you been? And why has it not worked? Impossible to know, seeing as how they are jailed or killed. How dare you trample on the graves of the thousands that have given their lives for the dream of freedom, a dream that is still unfulfilled.
At Duck Runner: Dude Whitney Houston just died from smoking crack....put the pipe down, that stuff kills. You obviously have not @!$%#ing clue of what it is to live in communism. No liberties of any kind and you can forget about being proud....if Cuban people were proud of Fidel, there would not be more than 15% of the Cuban population living in exile. Do you know that Cuba is the country that has produced more inmigrants per capita in the past 50 years? your name should be dumbrunner not duckrunner!
Idiot!
too much capitalism hurts, too much communism hurts. I guess Cuba is out of balance and may fall at the bottom of the ocean.
McCarthy, want to realize something that is even more fascinating? The Spanish IN THE 1500s Traveled the ENTIRE world by sea and conquered every land they came across from South America to Asia and converted them all to Catholicism (i.e. the Philippines) THIS IS IN THE 1500s
President Obama will be re-elected. The motley choice of back stabbing scumbags that have even limited approval of The Republican Party will see to that.
rat, as long as you have money to buy a politician, it doesn't matter who is in power.
What does your statement have anything to do with the pope or Castro?
I am cuban so most of you don't really know the reality. For example one person screamed and he got beat up and nobody did anything nor screamed supported him. So the cuban people deserve Fidel, Raul and all the garbage they have there. Once again I'm cuban and live in miami the good life so it's up to the cuban people to liberate themselves not the pope.
JP
People scream in the U.S. too when they are getting mugged or raped. No one does anything here, I guess we all deserve to get mugged and raped? The pope has no real power, he can't change governments.
"In Cuba, we are talking about the update of the Cuban economic model to make our socialism sustainable,"
I.E. socialism is not working, has never worked, and never will, so we'll just massage it a little here and there, and see if we can't get this horse moving! Are we adopting capitalistic principles? No way! You think we are? No, amigo, that's just your perverted world outlook telling you that we have finally seen the light!
Is Russia still supporting the entire Cuban economy? It must be costing them a fortune. What an absolutely unique geo-political situation of Cuba being so isolated from the US yet only miles away.
Kevin,
The former USSR is not supporting them. Their cane sugar is a drug on the sugar market. However, they do export nikel, have a large tourism industry, and a booming "medical tourism industry" for Americans that do not have health insurance, or who want to have some procedure and then vacation. Also, the Cuban people sitll receive a lot of foreign remittances, however, the $ amount is diminishing as the orginal refugees that were sending most of the money to the folks back home are now dying off, retired, or coasting until they retire.
rat, thank you. I was not aware of the money they still make from cane sugar and tourism (obviously not American tourists). I had recently heard of their medical schools, but I had no idea that they were so popular. Cuba's socialistic/communist political structure that has survived so independently from us for 50+ years inspires me to take a fun look and inspection of our own political system that is profoundly influenced by capitalistic practice. (but I don't wanta be a commie)
Kevin,
There is really no such thing as communism. China amd Vietnam are offically communist. However, they have in reality an unfettered capitalist society that does not respect copyright laws. They proclaim that they are "communists," but they are just Draconian govts. that don't tolerate dissent or too many requests.
rat, kinda (or exactly) like our wall street bankers and their stock exchange practitioners?
The point being is radical anything is not beneficial for the average people. We have radical Islam, radical Christianity, radical Communism, and ofcourse radical Capitalism.
The problem with communism is that it ignores the free market law of supply and demand. Communism produces either surpluses or shortages. When it produces surpluses of unwanted goods, prices fall, state-owned businesses become bankrupt, and the government has to bail them out with tax-payer funded subsidies. When it produces shortages, prices rise and inflation results. Those communists today who contine to have a love affair with Marxism have buried their heads in the sand to the fact that the fomer Soviet Union and it's Eastern European satellites fell precisely because it's citizens were sick and tired of sacraficing freedom in return for an endless future of high taxes, low wages, and shoddy and scarce goods. They also ignore the fact that since China began to turn in it's economic life more and more towards capitalism, its economy is now the fastest growing in the world. Communism is now consigned to the dustbin of history, to borrow Trotsky's phrase, and I for one do not miss it.
I'm sorry this sounds more like American Capitalism than communism! Subsidies, bailouts sounds like the good old USA to me.
See you do not realize that there are two separate economic systems at play in America. First there is Socialism for the wealthy, they cannot lose there fortunes because the government keeps bailing them out and subsidising there loses. Second there is the brutal anything goes Capitalism for the average citizen who is constantly being ripped off, mislead, and cheated by the economic titans of Capitalism. Talk about a transfer of wealth form the working class to the wealthy!!! No, Socialism is alive and well in the USA just ask any of the 1%.
You would be much better off with the system being reversed.
Trotsky NEVER said that "communism is now consigned to the dust-pin of history". Your full of it..
DuckRunner allow me to tell you that you are extremely missed-informed and talking without any substance. You are entitled to your opinion, even though it's very distorted. Fidel and Raul are both murderers and responsible for the deterioration of many generations of Cuban people. If you are so proud of them, why don't get in an airplane and move to Cuba so you can learn for yourself how it is there and how wonderful the Castro brothers are. Now for the rest of the readers, how is it possible that Fidel has not met with a such an important visitor? I'll tell you why, HE IS DEAD! he has been dead for a long time now.
Mandy I already called him dumbrunner....no need to explain!
@Mandy "how is it possible that Fidel has not met with a such an important visitor?" For a dictator who established the rule of religion is the opium of the masses in his nation, why would he think that the pope is an important visitor?
So essentially, Cubans should trade in one form of oppression from the Communists to another form of oppression from the Church?
I think I'd be asking for a third option.
Questions, the third option is to use and politically manipulate Communism, the Church and the West to serve their best interests and independence. We often forget how in God's name they have survived for 50yrs. without us ( they are but an island only 90 miles away).
I think as soon as the Castros are dead they'll have a revolution over there. Hopefully one that brings the right mix between Commies and Capies. Sounds to me like Raul is positioning himself for that middle of the road behavior that brings balance and prosperity. Job safety concern. let's go along and call it communism that way he can keep face after he gets voted out.
You're right, for once I'll agree with Castro, we don't need this a**hole.
That's not saying Castro is any better.
The Pope is nothing more than the spiritual front man for imperialist capitalism whose job it is to keep the shallow masses in line and quiet with fairy tales and ridiculous promises of a better life after death. The whole concept of the church from the beginning was to oppress the masses and glean onto themselves the wealth of nations. The church is the biggest racket and farce the world has ever known.
Socialism is not only alive and well but thriving and spreading thoughout the world, unlike the United States who has to impose the failing United States model of war, hegemony and anything goes Capitalism on the world through invasions and the mass murder of populations.
You are nothing but a stupid brainwashed communist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_killings_under_Communist_regimes
Communism sure works out, doesn't it?
The Roman Catholic Church is much more geo-politically intelligent and adept than anyone. Take for example Mexico; Mexico is right on our border and is as politically disorganized and corrupt as Afghanistan. Mexico's societal poverty and violence precipitated by such political disorganization pours into our country daily. But we spend more time and money and energy trying to stabilize countries in the middle east and practically completely ignore Mexico.
Don't give anybody any ideas.
Everytime we try to stabilize other countries and try to make people see it OUR way by dropping bombs on their heads, we fail.
All it is is the military industrial complex, no matter what excuses they give you.
X, apparently "big brother" did not like my initial detailed response to your comment and would not even allow me to post it (I'm serious). Fact; conventional military practice is archaic and no longer needed. We have the big one and it is quite more advanced than in 1945.
I lived in Cuba for 20 years. those people can rot and die an early drowning death. Let them continue with their communism socialist life, let them hungry and in bad shape. MORE FOR ME, more freedom for me, more petroleum for me, more tourism for miami... stop trying to help others and turn the eyes to our own country!, look, we have ask for freedom for China, at the end China is competing and winning in the world economy while we are falling behind. Loos Japan, we hlped them and now they have better than us. Every one we help turns against us and at the end betray us. Let the Cubans continue eating @!$%#. if you help them, they will steal our tourism.
mora, thank you for sharing your life in Cuba. Do you think the Pope's visit may help in anyway? Please respond.
Nobody wants to come to our bigoted wasteland until we become more like good countries like Europe.
People will come when we're smart enough to accept evolution, when we stop shunning intelligence, when we quit giving idiots like Rick Santorum a chance, when we quit letting our own citizens die from curable illnesses for not being able to make ends meet in our broken capitalistic economy.
@mora
Why do want Cuban people to be hungry and in bad shape if any people? China is not actually winning their GDP is about 8 trillion and ours is well over 14 trillion. Its just what the media tells you to divert where all that money really is. In the pockets of our overlords the the one percenters. We owe China about 1.6 Trillion which is probably going to come out of the Average Americans pocket. Why loose Japan, they are better than us? Maybe in the cars industry is doing well but you did notice their disasters with the tsunamis, earth quakes, and the nuclear reactors right? Please Mora people need help, and I am willing to share as long as it does not require our troops being in harms way.
mora, thank you for sharing your experience in Cuba. Can the Pope help Cuba?
He sure can by making the people over their feel poor when he talks about the palace he lives in, and maybe that might incite another revolution.
3rd Ms state murder suspect is in custody now! Why no news on this?
Well, looks like they want a Catholic controlled Cuba. I wonder what's worse, oppression on most everything, or economic oppression.
The Pope's main job is to make sure that the hundreds of churches there are free to pass the collection basket so that the priests can make a living. There's special considerations in a country ravaged by hurricanes each year. It's different than other parts of the world.
If communism is so bad. Why is it that all the nations causing trouble are minor republics. Communism is only as bad as the person/people that lead it. Same can be said for any form of government control.
Yeah...and there are various forms of communism and every other ism....no two governmental systems are the same...even if they are both called communist, etc.