Czech Prime Minister Receives Cuban Regime Opponent Manuel Cuesta Morua

Czech Prime Minister Receives Cuban Regime Opponent Manuel Cuesta Morua
/ 14ymedio
Posted on September 17, 2015

14ymedio, Havana, September — Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka met
Wednesday with Cuban dissident Manuel Cuesta Morua–leader of the
Progressive Arc and promoter of several citizen projects–during the last
day of the 19th version of Forum 2000 in Prague. In the conversation,
the head of state was interested in the political and economic events in
Cuba and especially the situation with regards to human rights.

Sobotka, who delivered a speech during the last day of the forum on the
promotion of democracy and education for development, welcomed the first
signs of opening from the current regime on the island. The prime
minister said that the Czech government was going to continue its long
tradition of supporting the political liberalization and acceptance of
human rights in Cuba.

Cuesta Morua is one of the five Cuban delegates who participated in
Forum 2000, an annual event that started Sunday, bringing together
activists and democrats from all over world. The initiative, founded in
1996 by president Vaclav Havel, the Japanese philanthropist Yoheim
Sasakawa and the Nobel Peace Prize Winner Elie Weisel, promotes
democratic values, respect for human rights, development of civil
society and the strengthening of religious, cultural and ethnic tolerance.

One of the panels most interesting to the Cuban delegation was the
debate on the perspectives with regards to relations between Cuba and
the United States, according to the Baptist pastor Mario Feliz Lleonart.
"We also had an excellent opportunity for exchanges with delegates from
around the world and with personalities who now have more elements to
evaluate the situation in our country," added the fellow activist.

The main presentations of this panel were made by Cuesta Morua and
another Cuban, the writer Francis Sanchez, with moderation by the
Venezuelan Enrique ter Horst. Also participating in the discussion were
Barbara Haig from the United States and Marin Palous, representing the
European Union.

With regards to the process of normalization between Washington and
Havana, pastor Lleonart recognized that more than the differences
between the two Cuban panelists, "the idea prevailed that, at the end of
the day, the fate of the island must be shaped by Cubans."

At the close of the panel, Cuesta Morua said that "the triangle is
definitely closing," but that for this to happen, it is necessary that
"the United States and the European Union send the same message." In his
opinion, "then it will be the Cuban Government that is isolated, not the
people."

Source: Czech Prime Minister Receives Cuban Regime Opponent Manuel
Cuesta Morua / 14ymedio | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/czech-prime-minister-receives-cuban-regime-opponent-manuel-cuesta-morua-14ymedio/