n "Fantasy Island", the old TV series, Tattoo would look up in the sky and say "The plane, the plane". It was an announcement that a plane carrying guests was about to arrive.

In the next round of U.S.-Cuba talks, we will hear someone say "the ship, the ship", or a reminder that Cuba is still smuggling weapons.  

Our friends at Capitol Hill Cubans posted this today:

The Colombian authorities have intercepted a Chinese-flagged ship loaded with "war materiel" headed for Cuba.

It was intercepted near the Port of Cartagena. The cargo includes long-range weapons systems.

According to El Tiempo, the ship did not have appropriate documentation -- indicating that this was a clandestine shipment.

The ship's captain also resisted any inspection.

The Colombian authorities first believed the heavy weaponry was being smuggled to the South American nation, but the final destination was Cuba.

In the summer of 2013, a North Korean vessel was intercepted trying to cross the Panama Canal with over 240 tons of Cuban weapons headed for Pyongyang.

That vessel also did not have proper documentation and the ship's captain resisted inspection.

The BBC reported this:

About 100 tonnes of gunpowder, almost three million detonators and some 3,000 cannon shells were found on board the Da Dan Xia, officials said.

But according to the ship's records, it was carrying grain products.

This story is going to have a very negative impact on members of Congress, or the ones who will have to fund the new embassy, vote against the embargo, or take Cuba off the terrorist list.

It also proves that those 18 months of "secret talks" were frankly not very productive.    

What message did we send the Castro regime?  

What changes in behavior did we call on them to make before we legitimized the regime with talks?

It looks like the same Cuba: why is the Cuban government in the weapon traffic business?

The ship is back. Wonder what other ships are floating and headed to Cuba?

P.S. You can hear my show (CantoTalk) or follow me on Twitter.