MIAMI, United States. – This Thursday, the Cuban ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel assured Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Pope Francis’ envoy to the island, that his government had the will to “continue building” roads to “solve the expectations of both parties.” .
Although the ruler did not allude to what expectations he was referring to, by neither party, this Wednesday Stella said during an act at the University of Havana that the Catholic Church wanted “very much” the release of the people convicted of demonstrating against the regime. in July 2021.
In that act, to which he alluded Granma, was Díaz-Canel himself. However, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) did not mention the cardinal’s statements about political prisoners.
“The Pope very much wants there to be a positive response [por parte del Gobierno cubano] (…). It is important that the young people who at one time expressed their thoughts in the way we know them can return to their homes, ”said the cardinal in his public intervention.
In addition, the priest assured that during his visit to the Island “to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Pope John Paul II’s trip to the largest of the Antilles― has expressed to the Cuban authorities the “desire” of the Catholic Church.
He also said that he hopes that, from now on, “new things for the Cuban people” will be born.
In her statements, Stella also referred to the role of dialogue from “kindness and respect (…). Talking can find solutions, ”she said.
According to the cardinal, the Vatican wants “those who have power to be able to talk to each other, to be able to listen to each other” because “things can come out of that that benefit the Cuban people.”
“I hope it happens and it happens soon [este diálogo], and constitutes an important step for many advances that the Cuban people greatly need. There are things that must be done and done soon, ”he maintained.
Cardinal Beniamino Stella arrived on the island on January 23, 25 years after a pope visited Cuba for the first time. The successors of John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francisco, also visited the Island later.
During her first days in Havana, Stella met with leaders of the Cuban regime and then began a trip to visit all the Catholic dioceses in the country and meet with their leaders.
