Great moments in appeasement

Since he was unexpectedly elected to office more than two years ago, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has gone out of his way to be nice to Fidel Castro.

The Spanish prime minister is one of those leaders who believes in “constructive engagement”.

In other words, he believes that the way to deal with a dictator such as Castro is to say or do nothing that may in any way upset Havana.

In return, Castro continues to intimidate, harass and jail dissidents and just about any one who steps out of line.

Furthermore, the dictator has continued to thumb his nose at the Spaniards by allowing fugitives and activists from the terrorist group ETA to remain on Cuban soil.

Nice one …

Now, there is speculation in the Spanish media that ETA is concerned the impending demise of Castro may result in the group “losing the lone country that offers it sanctuary”.

According to the reports, ETA is looking at Bolivia as an alternative, hoping that Evo Morales will be as accommodating in future as his dying mentor in Havana has been until now.

These revelations have caused quite a stir in Madrid, prompting questions from the Spanish Government and forcing the Bolivian president to go public to deny any involvement with ETA or its associates.

Morales told reporters that a meeting in June between one of his leading supporters and representatives of ETA's banned political wing was well, purely unintentional.

The ball is now in Zapatero's court.