My “Oslo Journal” reports from the Oslo Freedom Forum, and Part I features a conversation with Berta Soler. She is the leader of the Ladies in White, the human-rights group in Cuba. It would be hard to overstate how demoralized the Cuban democracy movement is, after President Obama’s opening to the dictatorship in December.
Really, that “opening” is more like an embrace. Obama required zero reform or loosening from the Castros. In fact, they have increased their oppression since December.
Obama has just removed the Cuban government from the State Department’s list of terror sponsors. John Boehner, the speaker of the House, said, “The Obama administration has handed the Castro regime a significant political win in return for nothing.” Yes.
To Berta Soler, I quoted something that Oscar Biscet, her fellow democracy champion, said after Obama made his big announcement in December: “I feel as though I have been abandoned on the battlefield.”
And this is what Berta told me: “The European Union, the USA, Pope Francis — they have turned their backs on us.” Obama promised that his new policy would empower civil society in Cuba. “But we are seeing that what he has done is give a green light to the Cuban government to crush civil society.”
The Ladies in White have the broken bones — the recently broken bones — to prove it. I wonder whether anyone in the Obama administration cares. I really do.