Cuban dissidents applauded the news that four political prisoners will soon be released, and allowed to take asylum and receive medical care in Spain.
But the struggle is far from over.
"We want profound change, and that means the liberation of all political prisoners and changes in the laws to guarantee rights for all Cubans," said Osvaldo Payá, leader of the Christian Liberation Movement.
"We are pleased that they released political prisoners, but it is a very limited decision, considering that about 240 others remain in jails," said human rights activist Elizardo Sánchez Santacruz.
"We hope this is the prelude for more releases," said Laura Pollan, of Damas De Blanco, and whose husband Héctor Maseda is a political prisoner.
Other dissidents, including Martha Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca, suggested Cuba and Spain cared little about the prisoners, and were instead addressing their political, economic and diplomatic interests. As usual, according to Roca, the prisoners were being treated as nothing more than mercancía de cambio, or "commodities."
Also, Encuentro En la Red reports that three are prisoners set to be released are "common" prisoners.
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