Madrid/“We deeply regret the death of the unforgettable Pope Francis. The signs of affection and cordial closeness that transmitted to our compatriots were always reciprocated by the Cubans.” The official reaction of the Cuban president, Miguel Díaz-Canelhas arrived before seven in the morning. “We will remember with great affection your visits to Cuba and the words of affection she dedicated to our country in her messages. I extend felt condolences to her relatives and the international Catholic community,” he added.
Almost at the same time, there has been a message, also in X, of the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguezwho also fired the pontiff and remembered his trips to the country. “We want their legacy and work to seek solutions to the pressing challenges that humanity faces, they serve as an example to the present and coming generations,” added Foreign Minister.
The relationship with the Cuban regime has been one of the slabs that has weighed on Bergoglio in its ties with Latin America
The Cuban leaders have been early in the time of expressing their condolences for the death of the Supreme Pontiff, of the first on this side of the Atlantic if a man is excluded in the antipodes of both, Javier Milei, to whom he corresponded to honor the most famous Argentine in the world. He has done so, decreeing seven days of mourning for a man whom he described as “fool” and “representative of the evil on earth.” “Despite differences that are minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” said the Argentine president today.
The relationship with the Cuban regime has been one of the slabs he has weighed on Bergoglio in his links with Latin America. Especially since, in an interview about his mediating work with the island, he said: “I confess it: with Raúl Castro I have a human relationship.” The phrase fell like a stone over many Catholics, although the Pope had already won the dark thaw.
Bergoglio, as is known, was one of the main architects, together with Canada, of the secret dialogue between Washington and Havana – raised by the Pope of “goodwill” and not mediation – which led to the announcement of the restoration of diplomatic relations on December 17, 2014, after more than 50 years of rupture. In September 2015, Francisco traveled to the two countries, becoming the third Pope who visited the island and the first one who saw an American flag waving in the newly opened American embassy in Cuba.
Before he was John Paul II, who met in 1998 with Fidel Castro – who returned the visit two years after the Cuban traveled to the Vatican – and that he maintained a very critical position with the lack of freedom on the island. While Raúl Castro received on March 27, 2012 to Pope Benedict XVI during the trip to Cuba.
In May 2015, Bergoglio received an enthusiastic Raúl Castro in the Vatican who declared Francisco: “If it continues (…) I will pray and return to the Church, and I do not say it joke.” The visit of the Pontiff to Cuba four months later raised not a few hopes in the population. However, to a markedly political speech of the president, the Pope He gave an answer focused on “reconciliation.”
Bergoglio, who asked the former president to convey “[sus] Feelings of special consideration and respect for his brother Fidel, “also asked that his” greet thaw And a pearrata began on the “update of the socialist model” that Francisco preferred to ignore.
“The world needs reconciliation in this atmosphere of Third World War in stages that we are living,” said Francisco, who encouraged Cuba and the US to “continue advancing” in the normalization of their relationships and “develop all their potential.”
After the Trump era, the mediation of the Vatican was produced again, although it arrived when the Republican was almost back
In addition, in 2016, Cuba – in this case its main airport – again welcomed Francisco, in this case for a historical act: his encounter with Patriarch Kirill, head of the Orthodox Church. The visible heads of two religions that separated a thousand years ago hugged in a small room from the José Martí airport in Havana and three kisses were given, as the Russian tradition is sent between two old friends. “Finally,” exclaimed the Pope when he saw the one who defined as his “brother Cyrilo.”
After the Trump era, the Vatican’s mediation occurred again, although it arrived when the Republican was almost back. The Pope He sent Cardinal Beniamino Stella at the beginning of 2023at a sight of the island in which he requested the release of the Cubans who participated in the anti -government protests of July 11, 2021. It was one of the first times that a request from Rome was made public in this regard and arrived too late.
In the days after 11, on July 18, 2021, many expected an expression of condemnation of state violence and closeness to the people, but Franciso barely said during a religious act: “I ask the Lord to help them build in peace, dialogue and solidarity an increasingly fair and fraternal society. I urge all Cubans to entrust themselves to the maternal protection of the virgin of the virgin of the virgin. will accompany this trip. ”
In 2022 a discreet and pragmatic approach between Cuba and the US at the request of the Pope, again mediator between the regime and the Biden administration. In June 2023, Miguel Díaz-Canel had his first appointment In the Vatican with Francisco. “It was a frank conversation. We confirmed broad coincidences in pressing issues of the International Agenda for Humanity,” said the president, which he described as a “very pleasant reunion.” Nor did that diplomatic event liked a good part of Cuban exile in different areas of common interest, such as migration and national security, and some of the last sanctions of Washington have been eliminated.
It was not until January 2025 when the first news of an agreement between Cuba and the US, never recognized by the parties, jumped, as a result of another mediation of Bergoglio. Biden announced the withdrawal of Cuba from the list of sponsoring countries of terrorism – almost symbolic, since Trump assumed the presidency a week later and included again – while the regime declared that he would release 553 prisoners as a gesture for the jubilee year decreed by the Pope.
That process concluded on March 11with the probation of the group, in which they only turned out to be political prisoners 230, while the others were common. Among the best known names were those of José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarrobut around a thousand prisoners of consciousness are still in Cuban prisons.
