I was reading this item in the Cuban press:

The president of Tunisia’s House of Deputies, Fouad Mebazaa, condemned the nearly-50-year US economic blockade of Cuba, which he described as anachronistic, during a meeting with Cuban ambassador to the country, Gabriel Tiel. . He also offered details on the situation of the Five Cuban antiterrorists unjustly incarcerated in the US since 1998 for monitoring the activities of ultra-right groups in South Florida, specialized in terrorist actions against the Cuban people.

In this regard, the diplomat urged the Tunisia-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group to intensify efforts in favor of the release of the Five, as they are internationally known.

This item appeared in the Cuban News Agency, Fidel Castro’s propaganda news wire. It got me thinking: shouldn’t Cuba come up with better defenders. Obviously, the article is motivated by a desire to bring an end to the U.S. embargo against the country. All well and good.

But is Tunisia the best country to make case for human rights? Any decent person knows the answer is a resounding No. Tunisia is an authoritarian country like Cuba that ferociously attacks any dissent, and has imprisoned more journalists than any other Arab government since 2000. It may be natural for the writer behind the piece to feel a kinship between two dictatorships. But propaganda should be shrewder.

Tunisia is in no position to take a stand on any issues dealing with human rights. Tunisia carries no credibility and Cuba should find better defenders.