Spain’s criticism of Cuba is a departure from usual Spanish policy of calling for closer relations with the communist island.
Speaking in parliament, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero called on Cuba to free political prisoners and respect human rights.
Political prisoner Orlando Zapata, 42, died at a Havana hospital on Tuesday after refusing food for 85 days to demand better prison conditions. Zapata was jailed in 2003 for crimes including resisting the communist government.
Spain has made improving ties with Cuba one of the objectives of its six-month European Union presidency and has argued Europe should not demand progress on human rights and improving democracy as conditions for normal diplomatic ties.
Spanish companies have been among the most prominent foreign investors in Cuba. Zapatero was criticised in Spanish media for failing to refer to Zapata’s death in a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, “the United States government deeply regrets the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo and we send our condolences to his family and we also reiterate our strong objection to the actions of the Cuban government,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told lawmakers, saying he was imprisoned for speaking his mind.
“The United States government consistently requested that he be given medical assistance and unfortunately he paid for his courage and his commitment with his life,” she said.
Clinton added that she hoped US pressure on the Cuban government ultimately would lead to the release of all Cuban political prisoners.
Meantime, amid shouts of “Zapata lives,” about 100 people mourned Zapata as he was buried yesterday in his hometown of Banes.
According to Zapata’s family and dissidents in Havana, the funeral, held under a rainy sky, took place with dozens of state security agents looking on as the Cuban government clamped down to prevent the event from becoming a rallying point for dissent.
Reina Tamayo, Zapata’s mother, told Reuters she refused to cry when her son’s wooden coffin was lowered into the ground in the humble local cemetery.
“I’ll have my moment to cry for Orlando Zapata, but not in front of them,” she said, referring to the government agents.
“We showed them that my son will continue living inside of us. We did not fear them,” Tamayo said in a phone interview from Banes, a sleepy city of 80,000 people 500 miles (800 km) east of Havana.
