Not much was heard from dissidents during Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to Cuba.  They say that is because the government mounted a campaign of arrests and harassment to silence them.  After the pope left, I was invited to a meeting that the country’s best known Internet blogger, Yoani Sanchez, had with other critics of the government to share their experiences.

“I heard the car start moving with incredible speed,” said Danilo Maldonado, waiving his arm tattooed with political drawings.  “And when it turned like this, they grabbed me and shoved me inside.”  Maldonado, a graffiti artist, said he was held with other detainees for three days near Havana’s airport.