VZCZCXRO1669
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHMD #0524 1331043
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121043Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4751
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0274

UNCLAS MADRID 000524 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM CU SP
SUBJECT: CUBAN REFUSAL TO ALLOW YOANI SANCHEZ TO TRAVEL 
RECEIVES WIDE COVERAGE; ZOE VALDES VISITS MADRID 
 
¶1. Cuban "bloguera" Yoani Sanchez was chosen by leading 
Spanish daily El Pais and the prestigious Spanish foundation 
Ortega y Gasset as a 2008 journalism prize winner. 
Unfortunately, the GOC did not allow Sanchez to travel to 
Madrid to participate in the May 7 awards gala.  El Pais (a 
left of center paper) carried an interview with Sanchez on 
the eve of the awards ceremony in which Sanchez expressed her 
(entirely justified, as events proved) pessimism that she 
would be allowed to travel.  Sanchez, creator of the 
"Generacion Y" website, said her travel request was a 
"perfect test" of whether Raul Castro's announced opening was 
real or merely talk. El Pais carried a second interview with 
Sanchez the day after the awards ceremony in which Sanchez 
said the GOC had not offered any explanation for refusing her 
permission to travel.  Asked about reprisals, she noted no 
one had knocked on her door and she had no proof, but she 
suspected she was under surveillance, her phone tapped, and 
that the GOC was trying to frighten her friends. 
Nevertheless, she rejected the label dissident.  Asked 
whether a new political moment had come in Cuba, she said 
there was an attempt to make one believe it had, but she had 
seen no evidence.  She did say there was a new and more 
critical attitude among citizens although the forces of 
political intolerance had conceded little.  She expressed 
doubt about the ability of the system to reform itself ("that 
which is sick in its essence cannot transform and improve 
itself").  Asked about the small changes seen so far, Sanchez 
said all the changes to date had one objective:  holding onto 
power.  The idea was to provide a certain improvement in 
welfare and relax somewhat the accumulated tensions, but this 
would only continue to the point where it imperiled the 
regime's control over society. 
 
¶2. The May 7 awards ceremony was an "A list" event attended 
by government, journalism, and literary luminaries. 
Attendees at a post-award ceremony cocktail were quizzed 
about Sanchez.  First President Fernandez de la Vega was 
quoted as saying "the rhythm of the changes have to be 
decided by the Cubans.  Timing in politics is very important. 
 It is the Cuban people that have to take decisions according 
to their necessities and worries, which are many.  What we 
have to do is help the Cubans so that they have their own 
democratic process."  Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz Gallardon 
(Popular Party) said the GOC had not "calibrated the 
magnitude of the error it had committed upon prohibiting 
Yoani Sanchez from attending" the ceremony.  He added, "I am 
sure that this gesture of power, that could have been one of 
tolerance, will end in precipitating more the changes toward 
liberty."  Secretary of State for Cooperation Leire Pajin 
expressed confidence in seeing "important changes" in Cuba. 
Whereas former Colombian President Belisario Betancur 
described the changes as "superslow" judging by what had 
happened to Sanchez.  Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon 
criticized the lack of an opening on the part of Raul 
Castro's government.  A May 8 El Pais editorial urged that 
Raul Castro "preach by example and not with rhetoric."  It 
called the GOC's silence in the face of Sanchez' travel 
request "the most pusillanimous response."   "What are the 
Castro authorities afraid of?"  asked the paper before saying 
the systems of the "sole party" lived paralyzed by the terror 
of change. 
 
¶3. The same week as the Ortega y Gasset ceremony, the Spanish 
press covered the visit to Madrid of Cuban writer Zoe Valdes 
to promote her book, "La Ficcion Fidel" ("The Fidel 
Fiction").  In addition to blasting the Cuban regime, Valdes 
told the press in no uncertain terms the Spanish Government 
should take a hard line with Raul Castro. 
 
¶4. Comment:  The GOC treatment of Sanchez underscored what we 
have been telling the Spanish Government:  we will know there 
is meaningful change in Cuba when the GOC demonstrates 
respect for human rights, including the right of expression 
and a free press; frees political prisoners; and allows space 
for political dissent. 
Llorens