Dialogue with Cuba as ‘contact sport’
March 19, 2012
Jose Manuel Palli, Miami Herald
The news a few weeks ago that the Cuban diplomatic mission in Washington plans to invite a number of “respectful” Cubans living in the United States to a meeting in late April — together with the upcoming visit to Cuba by Pope Benedict XVI — has ignited the customary round of byzantine discussions and name-calling within our Cuban exile community.
One of those debates — more interesting and entertaining than the ever-ending Republican primary — circles around the idea that whether you are just a regular Joe or the head of the Catholic Church, to meet with the Cuban authorities (even to visit Cuba, in the eyes of the “true believers” in our midst), is to legitimize the Cuban regime.
Those who condemn the legitimizers among us are the same who for the past 30 years have called any Cuban exile who tries to interact with the Cuban authorities a “ dialoguero,” a brand that has been courageously borne by some of the best and noblest members of our community....