One year after Castro's crackdown, hope is scant for any early release of dissidents

Associated Press ^ | 3-16-04 | ANITA SNOW

[Oldeconomybuyer]

HAVANA (AP) -- Blanca Reyes waits by the phone every Thursday afternoon for a call from her jailed husband, Raul Rivero.

A year ago Saturday, she watched from her tiny balcony as the poet and journalist was hustled away by President Fidel Castro's agents in front of cheering pro-government neighbors. Crying tears of rage, she shouted: "Alli va UN HOMBRE!" -- "There goes A MAN!"

[TheBigB]

This can't be true. "Supermodel" Naomi Campbell declared that Castro was "a source of inspiration to the world." And supermodels are never wrong.