Siege in Havana: Conflicting Signals and Reports

Partially contradicting CNN's report, Vladimiro Roca protested that the Cuban regime prevented Marta Beatriz Roque from being examined and provided medications by a physician acceptable to her. Ms. Roque is a diabetic and started a hunger strike after being under siege for over 30 days in protest for the expropriation of a camera with photos and violation of Cubans' rights.

According to CNN:

“Authorities have not allowed food or medicine into the house, the dissident said. Under pressure from diplomats, Cuban authorities allowed a doctor into the house Thursday night, Valle Roca said. He would not identify the physician by more than his first name, Ricardo."

On Friday, Mr. Roca reported that Ms. Roque had fainted twice and was suffering from cystitis and kidney pain which prevented her from lying on her back. She is drinking liquids and has taken medications to control her blood sugar which indicates she doesn't intend suicide with the hunger strike. However, according to Mr. Roca she has said that she is willing to pay for liberty with her life.

The physician allegedly turned back was the husband of one of the 12 dissidents under siege. Mr. Roca also reported that the regime had nonetheless sent an unsolicited ambulance for Ms. Roque but that this was in order to appear as 'the good guys', evidently alluding to the regime's notoriety for human rights violations.

Asked about help from other Cubans, Mr. Roca pointed to supporters not being allowed to enter the premises of the siege, but that they are staging 'plantones' (sit-ins) in solidarity at Pinar del Rio, Villa Clara, Holguin, Camaguey and Oriente (now called Granma).

With regard to coverage by bloggers within Cuba, Mr. Roca explained that Cubans didn't have access to the Internet and thus bloggers didn't have much impact within the island; but that they contributed by informing the international community of what was happening within.

This could indeed be a decisive contribution given the Castro's regime absolute media monopoly. However, to my knowledge, the most well known blogs from within the island have (strangely) made no reference to Ms. Roque's condition, the hunger strike or to the 36 day siege taking place so close to them in Havana and reported by bloggers outside of Cuba and even by CNN. Why not?

RELATED:

Spanish language blog covering the siege and Ms. Roque's health

URGENT: Where's Fidel Castro? - Part II

UPDATE. Cuban Dissidents' Homes Under Siege After Issuing Ultimatum

Where's Fidel Castro?