In Madrid

As you would have read elsewhere, the Havana-based blogger Yoani Sanchez of Generacion Y has been awarded the highly prestigious Ortega y Gasset Prize for Journalism by the Spanish newspaper group PRISA.

Unfortunately, Ms Sanchez was not in Madrid last night to receive the award.

Something about the Castro regime not being able to give her an exit visa in time. Or misplacing her application. Or running out of ink. Or some other typical bull story like that. As always.

Instead, the award was accepted by Ernesto Hernandez Busto, our friend over at Penultimos Dias, who has also written a cracker of an Open Letter to Ms Sanchez.

In a pre-recorded speech played at the ceremony, the Generacion Y blogger said that while the prize may give her a “small protective shield”, it would not necessarily protect her from reprisals by the Castro regime because “in Cuba, one is ever immune from the State”.

Sadly, Ms Sanchez is right.