The death last week of Orlando Zapata Tamayo, the hunger-striking Cuban prisoner, has proven to be a international issue of grand proportions, and Havana is stubbornly pushing back against the waves of pressure from friends and foes abroad. On Wednesday, authorities arrested or detained at least 30 recognized dissidents in order to prevent them from attending the funeral and perhaps rallying. Arrests took place in Holguin, where Zapata Tamayo lived and where he was set to be buried Wednesday, and also in Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Las Tunas and Camaguey. Tensions are high between the government and its opposition, as this is the first dissident to die in a Cuban prison since 1972.
Today, an article in the state newspaper Granma (“¿Para quién la muerte?”) likely ruffled feathers abroad as well. The author contrasted Cuba’s system of justice and corrections with those of the United States, highlighting Guatánamo and Abu Ghraib. But even more inflammatory to the many voices condemning his death, the article called Zapata a common criminal that had been used by Cuba’s enemies for political purposes. “Zapata Tamayo adoptó el perfil ‘político’ cuando ya su biografía penal era extensa,” it said (“Zapata Tamayo only adopted a ‘political’ profile after developing a long criminal record”).
These are the kinds of things that are almost impossible to verify from outside. Sources in the United States make no mention of Zapata’s previous history. It could certainly be true that he had been jailed a number of times before 2003, and for crimes ranging from fraud to illegal entry of a home.
The fact is, his death and Cuba’s unapologetic response to it will likely stall any near-term hopes for improved U.S.-Cuba relations, and make it more difficult for Spain to change the European Union’s common position on Cuba during its current six-month term at the head of the 27-nation bloc.
Always two steps forward, one step back. Or one step forward, two steps back… it’s getting hard to tell.
(Photo from Reuters/Enrique De La Osa)
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