Cuba: Diversity of views per visit of Benedict XVI

Preparations in the Revolution Square for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI

Since November 10, 2011 the Vatican announced Pope's trip to Cuba and Mexico, the only countries in Latin America to visit, Cuban bloggers began to offer their opinions.

Nine days after the official communication, Jasmine Silvia Portales published in Letters from Cuba, Fernando Rasvberg blog on the BBC, an article which again challenged the hegemony of the Catholic religion in Cuba.

I think we put on plan to identify a national religion, no one can deny that competition is between those of African origin, because here devinieron something new because its symbols and cross cultural biases common sense of "Cuban" without respect to class, race or gender, because it is popular-in the best sense of the word.

In addition, Cuban blogger who calls himself a Marxist, not heterosexual and African descent, criticized the positions of Pope Benedict XVI with respect to "the recent pedophile scandals facing the Catholic Church, condom use, the right to divorce."

The visit precedes the pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre , declared Patroness of this Caribbean island on May 10, 1916 and crowned by Pope John Paul II in January 1998.

To the blogger and advocate of sexual diversity Francisco Rodriguez, popularly known as Cuba's Paquito, "the Virgin of Charity is certainly much more than a religious symbol. His legend is part of Cuban culture, source of spirituality for many people and a source of inspiration and unity throughout much of our national history. "

However, according Paquito :

Benedict XVI is not the Virgin or a saint, nor do I represent absolutely no human value which I feel a part. I understand, however, that his presence in Cuba would be positive and help from the political point of view the country's foreign relations and dialogue with a sector of our population.

The LGBT community of the island confesses "expect nothing from this visit." The blogger Hawkeye recalls:

For years [Benedict XVI] attracts public attention because of their obsessive demonstrations against the rights of homosexuals and transsexuals. Hardly a month goes by without the pope, suddenly, rail against homo families and equal marriage. Paradoxically, seems to have been slow and reluctant to cases of child abuse by priests.

Moreover, the blog Santiago in me , written from the Cuban province where there will be the first mass, takes a sense of humor typical of the Cuban population to describe the significance of the visit of the Pope.

The truth is that today, the Pope's visit, and everything revolves around it, is at the center of the sight of Cubans, who, without ever renouncing the playfulness that characterizes and has led to a "recognized wise teacher" to claim that the Cubans' jokes are serious and make jokes about it seriously, "attributed to the visit of the exponent of the Catholic Church as good or bad happens these days.

In parallel, the opposition based in the island recently starred occupations in temples of Havana and Holguin. Although there are different versions of events, various media reported that dissident groups sent a letter to the Archbishop of Havana to be delivered to Pope Benedict XVI. According to a report from IPS ,

The group claims the Republican Party include release of Cuban prisoners, rising wages and pensions, cessation of persecution of opponents, the right to private property and create alternative media, Internet access, "legal framework for the rule of law" and freedom to travel abroad.

However, a press release issued by the Archdiocese of Havana rejected the occupation of the temples.

Nobody has the right to convert the temple into political trenches. Nobody has the right to disrupt the celebratory spirit of the faithful Cubans, and many other citizens, who await with joy and hope the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Cuba.

The publication of an editorial in the official newspaper Granma has also raised a variety of opinions. In the article, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba called to welcome Benedict XVI to "affection and respect." In a " strictly personal confession , "the blogger Luis Toledo Sande considers:

Leave aside the call to feel affection, decide which option to each according to their conscience and send notions.

Subsequently, Sande highlights the work of the Cuban authorities to ensure the reception of the Pope in a respectful and quiet.

The view is built at the foot of the monument to José Martí at the Revolution Square that bears his name, a temporary archway, and shows respect for the visitor, will protect the strong Caribbean sun, already at 9 of the cause by this time tomorrow.

Despite the political and religious disagreements, to some Cuban bloggers this visit will be positive, "is seen as one of the highlights from this still young 2012."

Written by Elaine Diaz · Translated by Elaine Diaz · View original post [en] · Comments (0)
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