Cuba: Ortega leaves cadre of bishops

Cardinal Jaime Ortega left the board of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (COCC) after years of belonging to that hierarchy, while prelates ma s young people came to occupy high cargos.La assembly of bishops, whose result was released over the weekend and posted a statement on its website, confirmed Dionisio & Garc # XED, a, Archbishop of Santiago, president of the jerarquíay put as their second Arturo González Amador, owner of Santa Clara.Se is a change that also hopes to continue pol & # XED; policy to the Church, said the expert in the history of religions at the University of Havana, Enrique López Oliva.

"It's a renewal of their cadres," said López Oliva The Associated Press. "The Catholic Church in the world is in a process of change and Cuban also is adjusting to the time of the country." Ortega, who plays & # xF1; aba as Vice President and is the only cardinal available to the island in 2011 presented his resignation to regulatory Archbishop of Havana, the largest in the Caribbean nation & # xF1, a-due to age, although to date this was not accepted by the popes Benedict XVI and Francisco.

The general secretary shall Juan de Dios Hernández Ruiz, who currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of Havana, along with José Félix Ortega.Monseñor Pérez, deputy secretary of the COCC, said that the change in policy is part of "routine elective process" of the institution. "It turned 75 (a & # xF1; os), Cardinal is waiting, "he told the AP Perez, who said Rome should give an answer about the fate of the cardinal and conform unlisted leadership.

Meanwhile, Perez said that although not on the structure of the presidency, Ortega remains in the Committee on Seminars and responsibilities cultura.Ortega has received strong criticism from opponents of the Cuban government, which was accused of negotiating with the authorities and not confront them, in exchange for the freedom of prisoners políticos.El cardinal was persecuted in the 60s and was imprisoned in a field working, but still defended before Fidel and Raul Castro president's right to develop its institutional work.

The forced resignation of senior prelates at age 75 does not mean that the house envíea Ortega and instead could be called to Rome, said the expert Ló , fish Oliva.Agregó Garcia's leadership, which according to tradicióny to be bishop of Santiago, the second largest diocese in the pa & # xed, s-could be moved to Havana when finally Ortega's resignation is accepted, it will not mean a change in direction.

García "moderately critical of the government, but with nuances, will continue with the same line or Ortega is trying to reclaim the space for the survival of the institution by dialogue with the government, "said Lopez Oliva.Nacido in 1936, Ortega was appointed cardinal in 1994.Al heat of improving relations between the government and the church in the past decades traveled to Cuba two popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and now a return process of temples that had been taken after the triumph of the revolution unfolds .