Dissidents Barred from Public Meeting

HAVANA TIMES, Feb 29 — Several Cuban dissidents were prevented yesterday from entering a public presentation of the theoretical magazine Criterios, held at the offices of the publication.

The artist and opposition blogger Orlando Luis Pardo; the coordinator of Estado de Sats, Antonio Rodiles; and two members of the organization Comite de Integracion Racial, were turned away at the door of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Arts and Industry building, where Criterios occupies the ninth floor.

During the meeting, one of the panelists (Mario Castillo, from the Critical Observatory Network), criticized what happened at the entrance, as did an opposition activist in the audience.

The panel, which discussed the topic of the public sphere in Cuba, was also made up of speakers Yasmin S. Portales, Roberto Veiga, Leonardo Padura, Arturo Arango, Rafael Hernandez, and Jorge Luis Acanda.