Cubans to welcome 'socialist' pope; don't expect miracles

Cubans to welcome 'socialist' pope; don't expect miracles
Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:41am EDT
By Andrew Cawthorne

HAVANA (Reuters) - Flattered by a third papal visit in less than two
decades, Cubans feel especially warm to Pope Francis for his fellow
Latin American blood, humble image and help towards ending hostilities
with the United States.

Yet for all the goodwill on the streets of Havana ahead of the pontiff's
arrival on Saturday, there are low expectations among Cubans that his
three-day visit will spur any major domestic change on the Communist-run
island of 11 million people.

"We're all grateful to him, he's already achieved a lot for Cuba," said
Ariel Guerra, 30, a restaurant worker whose brother, in jail for killing
someone while driving drunk, was among 3,522 common prisoners pardoned
last week as a gesture to the pope.

"What we really need is more opening, more investment, better salaries,
but I don't think the pope can influence the economy," added Guerra, who
works in the shadow of the 18th central cathedral in Old Havana.

Nevertheless, a warm reception awaits Francis when he follows in the
footsteps of Pope John Paul's ground-breaking 1998 visit and Pope
Benedict's 2012 trip.

For starters, the Argentine-born pontiff is a fellow Spanish-speaker.
There is also great affection towards him for his help in brokering
secret talks to end Cold War-era hostilities between Cuba and the United
States. The two countries restored diplomatic relations in July.

And Francis' global reputation as a man of the people - driven in a
regular car and occupying a modest Vatican guest house - has not gone
unnoticed among generally plain-living Cubans.

"He's different from the others. Humbler. You could even say he is a
'socialist' pope! So of course he's going to go down well here, isn't
he?" laughed Juan de la Torre, 47, a devout Catholic who attended Mass
during both previous papal visits.


DELICATE POLITICS

While Cubans expect little major change from the pope's visit, President
Raul Castro will be hoping for a public indictment from Francis of the
U.S. economic embargo on Cuba, still intact despite President Barack
Obama's re-establishment of diplomatic ties.

Both John Paul and Benedict repeated the Vatican's opposition to the
embargo while on Cuban soil, to the delight of their hosts. Papal aides
said Francis would raise the subject, during his visit to Cuba then the
United States, but not dwell on it given the delicate and evolving state
of Washington-Havana ties.

At the other end of the spectrum, dissidents opposed to the one-party
state are praying for public encouragement from the pope, and help in
securing the release of more than 50 jailed activists they consider
political prisoners.

"You can, and we are sure it is your wish, help the Cuban government
understand it must not continue beating and arbitrarily detaining, each
week, dozens of peaceful women, and other rights activists just for
thinking differently," the largest dissident group, Patriotic Union of
Cuba, said in a letter to the pontiff.

On the streets, however, where locals were avidly discussing all aspects
of the pope's visit, few expected the pontiff to wade far into Cuban
politics.

Rather, some hoped for simpler tangible impact, like when Christmas was
reinstated as a national holiday after John Paul's visit, and Easter
after Benedict.

"It's going to be a lovely visit for Cuba, especially for religious folk
- but it won't go any further than that," said Gremy Fernandez, 35, who
trained as a doctor but is working as a builder because it pays better.

"There won't be any real changes."

Behind him, as Fernandez and a friend walked home through a drizzly
Revolution Square in Havana, a vast temporary picture of Jesus Christ
vied for attention with permanent images of revolutionary heroes Ernesto
"Che" Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos.

(Additional reporting by Diego Ore; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Frances
Kerry)

Source: Cubans to welcome 'socialist' pope; don't expect miracles | Top
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