MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cuba accuses Europe of “fabricating patriots out of criminals”

Hunger-striker Guillermo Fariñas has vowed to die if 26 political prisoners are not released by Cuban authorities

The Cuban government again on Friday blasted the European Parliament for fabricating “patriots among mercenaries and criminals” and for supporting “subversion”, as the regime of the Fidel and Raul Castro brothers calls dissidents.

On Thursday Cuba accused the European Parliament of “great cynicism” for condemning the death of an imprisoned hunger striker. The Cuban National Assembly said in a statement that Cuba had a meritorious record in the “struggle for human life” and it blamed the European Parliament's action on “a campaign orchestrated by powerful European media”.

The elected body of the 27-nation EU approved a resolution condemning Cuba for the “avoidable and cruel” February 23 death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who died after a 85-day hunger strike for improved prison conditions and the freedom of an estimated 200 political prisoners.

Granma, the official daily of the ruling Cuban Communist party attacks the European Socialist Group for having “obediently succumbed to the most right-wing and anti Cuba positions”. Instead it praises the radical few that opposed the resolution which was passed with 509 votes, 30 against and 14 abstentions.

According to Granma the EP aligned with the “ferocious political and media campaign against Cuba which looks to fabricate patriots among mercenaries and criminals as part of the subversion plan to knock down the constitutional order erected by our revolutionary people since 52 years”.

“This can only be catalogued as another episode of the current plot which pretends to take advantage to the regretful incident of the death of an ordinary prisoner, later recruited by counter revolutionary cells, because of a self imposed prolonged hunger strike with the purpose of confusing public opinion”, adds Granma.

The article insists the EP “is calling on European governments to intensify subversive activities and to have its embassies in Havana get further involved in the support, encouragement and financing of mercenaries”.

“But once again they get it wrong with the Cuban people when they try to subdue our small island. What has happened will remain in history as evidence of the still colonialist mentality of European countries”.

The death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo provoked an international outcry against Cuba's government and calls for it to free 200 political prisoners. The EU parliament repeated this call in its resolution.

It also expressed concern at the “alarming state” of another opponent of Cuba's government, Guillermo Fariñas, who has been on a hunger strike at his home in Santa Clara since Feb. 24. Fariñas has vowed to die if the government does not release 26 political prisoners said to be in ill health in Cuban jails.

The “unfortunate event” of Zapata's death “cannot be used to condemn Cuba under the allegation that his death could have been prevented,” the Cuban statement said.

“The man refused to eat despite all warnings and the intervention of Cuban medical specialists,” it said.

“If there is an area in which our country does not need to defend itself with words, because reality is undisputable, that is in its struggle for human life and not only for those born in Cuba but elsewhere, too,” it said, referring to Havana's practice of providing doctors to impoverished countries.