Free speech

The Castro regime has refused to issue visas to a German parliamentary delegation on the grounds that it is “unacceptable" for the parliamentarians to meet with Cuban opposition groups, according to reports in the German media.

According to this report, the delegation had planned a three-day visit beginning today but were told at the last minute that the visas would not be forthcoming.

If only the Germans had had a chat to Gore Vidal first ...

Anyway, it seems this is just the latest in a series of incidents that have made the Germans a tad unhappy about what's going in Cuba.

About a month ago, you may recall the regime refused to allow independent journalist Guillermo Farinas Hernandez to travel to Germany to receive the Human Rights Prize awarded by the town of Weimar.

Also recently, the regime apparently withdrew permission for the screening of the German documentary film, Havana - the New Art of Building Ruins, during this month’s Havana film festival.

So, as you can see, free speech is alive and well in Havana.