Dissidents "hoped for more" from Brazil leader's Cuba visit

Cuban dissidents are disappointed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's decision not to meet any of the political opponents to the Castro regime during her three-day trip to Havana, which concluded on Wednesday.

"It was pure chance that she came at this time, but people had hoped for more," Cuban blogger and activist Yoani Sánchez told Bloomberg. "I would've hoped for a small wink, a phrase with a double meaning that we could interpret, and that the government could interpret too."

Brazilian diplomats explained that Rousseff's first visit to the island since becoming president was not geared to discussing human rights issues with Cuban President Raúl Castro. Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota said that it "was not a priority [to discuss this] today in Cuba." Nevertheless, human rights concerns "are constantly brought up" by Brazilian authorities and Havana, he said.

Rousseff's visit is centered on investment opportunities and projects, such as the $683-million expansion of the port at Mariel, some 50 kilometers outside of Havana, with 80-percent financing from Brazil. The expansion project should be completed within 10 years.

The Brazilian leader's visit is also seen by dissidents as a repeat slap-in-the-face given by her predecessor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva two years ago when he came to Cuba and embraced Fidel Castro while ignoring the opposition. Lula came to Cuba just weeks after jailed dissident Orlando Zapata died from a hunger strike. Coincidently, Rousseff's trip comes just weeks after another prominent dissident, Wilman Villar, also died following a 50-day hunger strike.

More openness

Rousseff, a former guerrilla member who was jailed during the military dictatorship that ruled her country between 1964-1985, has also decided to visit Havana before planning a trip to Washington. According to Patriota, Brazil wants to help accelerate a political and economic "openness" in Cuba.

Cuba released few details about the visit and did not allow coverage by the international media. State-run television said the two governments signed agreements on Cuban food purchases from Brazil, the Mariel project and Cuba's biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industry.

Quoting an unnamed Brazilian diplomat, Reuters reported that Rousseff met with Fidel Castro after lunching with Raúl Castro and the official delegation.

Rousseff did not mention the case of Sánchez, for whom she approved a visa last week to visit Brazil. Whether or not Sánchez will visit Brazil will depend on the Cuban government, which will have to approve her travel request.