Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wept and asked God to spare his life during a pre-Easter Mass in the eve of Good Friday after returning from his latest session of cancer treatment in Cuba.
Bells rang from Roman Catholic churches throughout Havana on Friday to remember the death of Jesus Christ as Cubans celebrated a holiday on Good Friday for the first time in more than half a century.
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa confirmed he will not attend this month's Summit of the Americas in Colombia, nor any other gathering that excludes Cuba or fails to address what he calls the region's most pressing issues.
Uruguay reiterated its full and traditional support for Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, but at the same time underlined that “there is no blockade to the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands by any country of the continent”, and clearly differentiated the Cuban and Malvinas blockades.
Pope Benedict urged Cubans to search for authentic freedom and met with revolutionary icon Fidel Castro as he wrapped up a visit in which he said Cuba must change.
Pope Benedict urged Cubans to build a better, renewed and open society on Monday and pressed the Castro brothers regime to give the Catholic Church more liberties to help the country as it faced an uncertain future.
Pope Benedict at a huge outdoor Mass on Sunday condemned drug trafficking and corruption in Mexico, urging people to put aside violence and revenge in the country where a murderous war between cartels has led to tens of thousands of deaths.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will return to Cuba to begin radiation treatment for cancer on Sunday, but said he was in ‘good shape’ and would be back home in several days.
Cuba released 70 members of the dissident Ladies in White group detained during the weekend but warned them not to attend activities related to next week's visit of Pope Benedict, the group's leader said.
Cuban authorities detained on Sunday about 70 members of the dissident group Ladies in White, drawing fresh attention to human rights issues days ahead of a visit by Pope Bendict XVI.