Beaten Cuban blogger gets answers from President Obama

Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez, who was detained and beaten a few weeks ago, posted President Barack Obama's answers to seven questions she sent him in an effort to engage in a bit of "popular diplomacy."

Sánchez also posted in her popular blog, Generacion Y, seven questions to Raúl Castro, but it was not immediately clear when the questions were posed to the Cuban ruler.

She wrote to the two leaders, the blogger noted, because for too long "Cubans have resigned themselves to having no one 'up there' explain or consult with us the road this island will take, so much like a ship taking on water and at the point of sinking.''

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department's Western Hemisphere department confirmed Obama had answered Sánchez's questions.

Sánchez wrote that both the Spanish and English-language versions of Obama's replies were provided to her by the White House.

Obama's answers amounted to a standard restatement of his administration's policies on Cuba -- a desire for more bilateral and people-to-people contacts, in the hope they would lead to improved human rights, while insisting on "actions by the Cuban government.''

But he seemed to sidestep one particularly hard-nosed question: If his administration is really willing to put an end to the U.S.-Cuba dispute, would it "recognize the legitimacy of the Raúl Castro government as the only valid interlocutor in the eventual talks?''

"As I have said before, I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a range of issues of mutual interest as we have already done in the migration and direct mail talks,'' the president answered. "It is also my intent to facilitate greater contact with the Cuban people, especially among divided Cuban families, which I have done by removing U.S. restrictions on family visits and remittances.

"We seek to engage with Cubans outside of the government as we do elsewhere around the world, as the government, of course, is not the only voice that matters in Cuba. We take every opportunity to interact with the full range of Cuban society and look forward to the day when the government reflects the freely expressed will of the Cuban people.''

(Via Miami Herald)