HAVANA, March 24: Pope Benedict XVI said on Friday that communism had failed in Cuba and offered the Church’s help in creating a new economic model, drawing a reserved response from the Cuban government ahead of his visit to the island next week.

Speaking on the plane taking him from Rome for a six-day trip to Mexico and Cuba, the Roman Catholic leader told reporters: “Today it is evident that Marxist ideology in the way it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality.”

Responding to a question about his visit to Cuba, 145km off the coast of the United States and a Communist bastion for more than 50 years, Benedict added: “In this way we can no longer respond and build a society. New models must be found with patience and in a constructive way.”

The 84-year-old pontiff’s comments reflected the Church’s history of anti-communism and were more pointed and critical than anything his predecessor John Paul II said on his groundbreaking visit to Cuba 14 years ago.

They were also surprising because, after decades of poor relations following Cuba’s 1959 revolution, the Church and government have moved closer in recent years, so it was widely thought the pope would avoid problems by treading lightly on controversial topics.

If Cuban leaders were riled by his comments, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez gave no hint of this news conference at the opening in Havana of the press center for the visit.

“We will listen with all respect to his Holiness,” he said when asked about the pope’s words.

“We respect all opinions. We consider useful the exchange of ideas,” he added, noting however that “our people have deep convictions developed over our country’s long history.”

Elizardo Sanchez, head of the independent Cuban Commission on Human Rights, praised the pope for showing “the good will of the Catholic Church and especially Pope Benedict XVI about the situation in Cuba,” but he doubted much would change.

“The government lacks the will to make the political changes Cuba needs,” Sanchez said. John Paul is best remembered for his conciliatory words at a Mass in Havana’s vast Revolution Square: “May Cuba, with all its magnificent potential, open itself up to the world, and may the world open itself up to Cuba.”

Pope Benedict said John Paul had “opened up a path of collaboration and constructive dialogue, a road that is long and calls for patience but moves forward.”

While they have resolved some differences, the Cuban bishops and government are still at odds over issues such as Church use of the media and religious education.

The Church will be hoping to use the papal visit to boost its congregation in Cuba which plummeted after the revolution, partly due to the exodus of many families and also due to a climate of government hostility.

Church officials say about 60 per cent of Cuba’s 11.2 million people have been baptized in the faith, but only about five per cent of those regularly go to mass. —Reuters