Communism does not work in Cuba, declares Pope

The Pope has warned that communism no longer works in Cuba and said the Roman Catholic Church stands ready to aid a peaceful transition without "trauma".

Speaking days before the first papal visit to the Caribbean dictatorship in 14 years, Pope Benedict XVI said: "Today it is evident that Marxist ideology in the way it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality."

He said the 53-year-old communist system in Havana "can no longer respond and build a society", and called for "new models" to replace it.

In recent weeks, protesters have taken to the streets in Cuba urging the Catholic leader to speak out on human rights abuses, while the authorities have responded with increased arrests.

The pontiff, 84, has no meetings scheduled with opposition groups but offered a discreet message of support as he flew from Rome to Mexico to start his six-day visit to the Americas.

"It is obvious that the Church is always on the side of freedom, on the side of freedom of conscience, of freedom of religion, and we contribute in this sense," he said.

However, he warned of the limits of the Church's intervention, saying: "The Church is not a political power, nor a political party. It is a moral reality."

The Cuban government believes the trip will focus attention on the US trade embargo of the island, which the Catholic Church has long opposed.