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ALBA member states behave as bloc at Copenhagen

There's an interesting postscript to the article we did this week about the rise of ALBA, a Latin American socialist alliance started by Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro. The news from the Copenhagen climate talks shows that ALBA member states — especially Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua — behaved almost as a single bloc, leveling vehement criticism at the U.S.-backed agreement that eventually emerged. Some in Copenhagen might not have been familiar with ALBA, but these countries' concerted opposition seemed to reflect their decision to stake out a common position in Havana prior to Copenhagen.

In the end, despite the ALBA nations' relative small sizes, their criticisms — of global capitalism, of the non-binding nature of the final agreement and the proceedings in general — seemed to come through the loudest. But as this NYT account of the proceedings shows, several other developing nations clearly didn't share ALBA's outrage, and wanted to reach some degree of consensus, however flawed.

Yoani Sanchez's husband faces "act of repudiation" in Havana streets

A day after Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez published an online interview with President Barack Obama, her husband and fellow blogger Reinaldo Escobar was accosted by a pro-government mob Friday evening in the streets of Havana, marking an escalation of the Cuban government's response to Sanchez and the island's small blogger movement.

Escobar, 62, had announced last week that he wanted to hold a "verbal duel" with the alleged Cuban state security agents who briefly detained and roughed up his wife on Nov. 6, an incident that drew condemnation from the Obama administration and international human rights groups. At 5 p.m. Friday, Escobar and a few supporters stood at the corner of a major Havana intersection as television cameras rolled and curious onlookers gathered around. Sanchez was not present.

Within second of Escobar saying that he wanted to engage in a "dialogue," busloads of pro-government students and men that appeared to be state security forces surrounded him and began shouting pro-Castro slogans. A marching band veered away from a nearby cultural performance and joined in, their beating drums urging the crowd on. It looked as if Escobar would be lynched.

"Long live Fidel" and "Go Away Worms," the crowd of 150 or so chanted at Escobar, using a traditional epithet for those who oppose the Castro government. When Escobar tried to walk away, a chaotic scene ensued, as the shouting mob chased him down the street, screaming insults and pro-government slogans in his face. The scene repeated itself several times as the mob prevented Escobar from leaving, at one point pinning he and his supporters against a metal fence. An NBC cameraman filming the incident was attacked at one point, as several men tried to grab his camera before plainclothes officers intervened to escort the man away to safety.

The whole incident lasted 15 minutes or so and appeared to be captured by several foreign television crews. Bloggers supportive of Escobar reported that he was briefly detained by police and dropped off at a location far from his home, but unhurt.

Such incidents in Cuba are known as "acts of repudiation" and have been used to target government opponents in the past. The Castro government considers Sanchez and other bloggers critical of Cuba's one-party state to be "mercenaries" at the service of the U.S. government and other foreign enemies abroad.

Cuban blogger gets big interview

Landing an interview with President Barack Obama would be a big deal for any journalist. For Cuba's Yoani Sanchez — who doesn't have travel permission to leave the island, let alone regular internet access — it appears to be just the latest step in her rapid ascension from blogger to international political figure.

The AP has the story. This comes less than two weeks after Sanchez said she was roughed up by undercover Cuban security agents.

Blogger's virtual confrontation with Cuban government gets physical

Cuba's most famous blogger and anti-government activist, Yoani Sanchez, said she and several friends were detained and roughed up last night en route to a march in Havana. Links here and here.

Sanchez was not seriously injured, but the incident seems to mark an escalation in the Castro government's approach to dealing with her.

Her Generation Y blog has attracted a huge following worldwide with its grim depiction of life on the communist-run island, where it remains blocked by the government. Sanchez has been accused of being a counter-revolutionary and provocateur working on behalf of the Castro government's enemies abroad, but until now the confrontation hasn't been physical.

U.S.-Cuba relations have been gradually thawing over the past several months under President Obama. But they could quickly ice over again if this type of thing continues, or if Sanchez is arrested and placed on trial.
 

Cuba beats the US 187-3 ... and we're not talking baseball

It's tough to get the United Nations to agree on much of anything these days, but not when it comes to U.S. trade sanctions against Cuba.

For the 18th year in a row, the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn the trade embargo that Washington first leveled against Cuba's communist government in 1962. This year's margin was 187 to three, with only the U.S., Israel and the tiny island nation of Palau opposing Cuba's resolution, which condemned the policy and demanded its removal.

The vote is a pretty toothless referendum in that it doesn't carry any real consequences, but it's still a reminder that certain hallmark elements of U.S. foreign policy remain extremely unpopular abroad, despite the new occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
 

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