Aznar deputy attempts to enter Cuba illegally
Campaign News | Sunday, 17 October 2004
Diplomatice controversy as Cuba sends Europeans packing
ON Saturday October 16, the Cuban authorities reported that Spanish deputy Jorge Moragas had been deported from Cuba after "attempting to enter our territory fraudulently and illegally under the migratory status of a tourist."
A note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs specified that the Popular Party representative and "staunch enemy of the Cuban Revolution" arrived on the evening of October 15 on the Air France Flight 479 and the migratory authorities proceeded to escort him onto the return Paris flight.
The message reads that Moragas was accompanying two Dutch parliamentarians and two representatives from alleged NGOs that are engaged in anti-Cuban activities in Spain and the Netherlands, and these individuals were also returned.
The note from the Foreign Ministry states that the Spanish deputy’s arrival was preceded by a noisy propaganda campaign.
The Popular Party, it goes on to say, released a statement last Thursday confirming that Moragas was to travel to Cuba with the aim of offering "support and solidarity" to mercenaries operating in Cuba under the pay of the United States.
The deputy himself made a statement to that effect that was published on October 14 and 15 by the EFE and Europa Press news agencies, according to the message.
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that "the activities they publicly declared as the aims of their trip constitute a flagrant violation of our sovereignty and are anticipated and sanctioned in our legislation. This is a gross political provocation against Cuba."
It added that Moragas is well-known "for his longstanding links with the failed and pathetic José María Aznar, who is currently enthusiastically devoting his time to spending the five million dollars that U.S. President George W. Bush recently awarded him in order to organize anti-Cuba activities and events."
It adds that the Spanish citizen and PP international secretary has carried out repeated anti-Cuban activities in the Spanish parliament.
The statement recalls that this is the second occasion on which Moragas has traveled to Havana to make contact with and offer financial support to the mercenaries.
Last July, the note went on, he also entered the country on a tourist visa, an occasion on which, with extraordinary moderation and patience, the authorities confined themselves to warning him there would be no impunity for such acts.
"We have the sovereign right to defend ourselves, our patience has limits and we will not remain silent over interfering behavior or provocations by enemies whom, at the service of U.S. policy, are attempting to subvert the internal order of our country," concluded the note from the Cuban Foreign Ministry. (AIN)
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2004/octubre/lun18/43dipu.html
