HAVANA, Cuba.- Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Dagoberto Rodriguez Barrera described as “interfering, disrespectful and even naïve” some comments made recently by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo.

“He should remember that Cuba is no longer a colony of his country or of any other country. Instead, he should pay attention to the deep social and economic crisis in Spain and the huge discontent that exists in that society, in which almost 40% of the youths are unemployed,” reads a statement by Rodriguez Barrera published on the website of the Cuban Foreign Ministry (www.cubaminrex.cu).

“It would be a matter of public interest to know if Foreign Minister García-Margallo has received any verbal or official invitation to visit Cuba, or if he thinks that he does not need an invitation. No one has invited him to come to Cuba,” the note concludes.

The statement by the Cuban diplomat comes after comments by García-Margallo recently published by ABC newspaper in which the Spanish Foreign Minister said he would not travel to Cuba unless he could meet with local mercenary groups —so-called dissidents— who work at the service of a foreign power to undermine the Cuban government.