Some Good News Amidst the Bad

As Boz pointed out, something extraordinary happened in Cuba yesterday:  a public meeting of some 200 Castro opponents took place. I am curious about this comment by Oswaldo Payá:

The event also revealed divisions within the dissident movement itself. The Christian Liberation Movement, led by internationally known dissident Oswaldo Paya, refused to attend but told Associated Press Television News his decision was not based on rivalry ``but a distrust of where these people come from.''

"They don't represent the majority of the opposition, or even the most important groups,'' said Paya, lead organizer of the Varela Project democracy effort. "It's a smoke screen.''

This account of the meeting also said Payá accused the organizers of trying to "sabotage" his reform efforts. All sides here would be well advised to look to the way the opposition united in Chile to democratically remove Pinochet. I don't expect that to happen with Castro, but division among the dissidents only serve to aid Castro. I'm not even much bothered by the fact that some of the participants shouted "Viva Bush!" I'm willing to accept that if someday Cubans can say whatever they wish in support of someone without fear.

Castro, for his part, expelled some EU journalists and political figures who had flown from Europe for the meeting. Not the smartest thing to do in advance of the EU's decision next month on continuing the thaw in relations between the EU and Cuba.