But Washington has put off the latest round of talks until Havana agrees to discuss issues on the U.S. agenda, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday night. Cuba had wanted to hold the talks on Thursday, it said. "The government of the United States is entirely responsible for the cancellation of this round of migration talks," the statement said. "These are merely new pretexts to aggravate tensions between the two countries," the foreign ministry said.
……………. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega told reporters in New York the Cuban leader was lending increasing support to anti-government groups in Latin America. On Monday, a State Department spokesman expressed concern over reports that Castro and Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez were working together to promote and finance anti-government groups in the region. ***
Ms. Morejón saw her husband on Dec. 30, but only after arguing with officials at Kilo 8 prison in Pinar del Rio. She threatened to stay in front of the prison and was allowed to see him -- for 15 minutes. Ms. Morejón had been allowed to see him only once before since his sham trial in April.
This isn't his first prison stint. A physician and long-time critic of the regime, Dr. Biscet served a three-year term for ''disrespecting'' authority, after staging a peaceful hunger strike in his home. Released in October 2002, he was out barely a month when, on his way to meet other human-rights activists, he was jailed again.
Now he's confined in a tiny, underground punishment cell. He is denied regular family visits, correspondence and packages of food, medicines, toiletries or clothing. All this for refusing to wear the uniform of a common prisoner and bow before cruelty.***