Received via telephone from Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, February 19, 2001.

Translation:

Factory of Colzado Paquito Rosales, where, once more, the oppression of Fidel Castro becomes apparent. Conducting searches to all of the workers at the end of the day and this takes place in the presence of the boss of the group Francisco Romer, known as “el Gallego”, which is an assistant to the police and chief of physical protection and is a retired lieutenant-colonel.

We all see that denigrating acts are committed against workers in Cuba. Edi Portel de la Far and the head of Human Resources, Giovanni de Leon, head of transportation, retired from the “FAR” (revolutionary armed forces). As is evident, all of the leading personnel in this factor are retired members of the armed forces.

This is one more indication of the militarization of the workplace of this government. The workers’ clothes are taken off every time they are going to leave. They are left in their underwear so that they can searched. This is in the Factory of Calzado Paquito Rosales.

Fabrica de Colzado Paquito Rosales, donde se pone de manifiesto una vez mas la represión de Fidel Castro. Haciendo registros populares a la hora de la salida de los trabajadores y esto se realiza en presencia del jefe de grupo Francisco Romero, conocido como el Gallego, que es auxiliar de la policía y el jefe de protección fisica que es un teniente coronel retirado. Todos vemos que en Cuba se cometen actos denigrantes contra las trabajadores. Edi Portel de la Far y jefe de recursos humanos, Giovanni de Leon Jefe de Transporte, retirado de la FAR. Como se ve todo este personal dirigente de esa fabrica son miembros jubilados de las fuerzas armadas. Esto es una muestra mas de militarización de las impresas de este gobierno. Se le quita la ropa a los trabajadores cada ves que van a salir. Los dejan en calzoncillos para regístralos. Esto es en la Fabrica de Calzado Paquito Rosales.

Received via telephone from Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, February 19, 2001

Today at 9:00 in the morning I was summoned by the National Revolutionary Police and after not going at 9:00 in the morning the Section Chief picked me up and took me there. It was more or less an interrogation but they were most concerned with what activities I have planned for the 24th of February and that if the activities were out of the churches’ parameters they would take action. The interrogation lasted about 2 ½ hours. They took me there at approximately 10:00 a.m. and they released me at 12:00.

Received by telephone from Rafael Contreras, Centro Abdala, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, by Martha Tamargo, of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, February 20, 2001

Captives

Two trucks came filled with men. They were construction workers in the city central. A huge construction is underway, shortly a theater will be built. It will be the largest building of this city.

The men get out of the trucks, silently. They start the job one hour later. You can only hear the banging of the instruments. Those men do not look anything like the other construction workers.

Lunchtime arrives and each one goes to their own place to eat their ration of food: a small piece of bread and something like rice boiled in a transparent broth. The men eat their lunch and think about what they have lost, and about what they continue to loose. They do not have any reason to think of when it is time to go home and the end of their day, soberly they know that thinking about that is impossible.

Without allowing time for digesting their lunch, they return to work. The sun burns much more during the afternoon hours. The men continue to not look like other construction workers. Other workers laugh and converse while working, in spite of whatever problem each of them may have; but these men at this job in the city do not speak. They have allowed their words to be taken in exchange for the instruments they use to work.

Pedestrians pass close by the work site and they look at the strange men that are working there. None of the pedestrians greet the construction workers and if one were to greet them they would not get a greeting in return. It is forbidden for those construction workers to speak with anyone that is not a part of that work site.

Nighttime arrives and they continue their work. It is obvious that it has been too many continuous work hours for one shift in a day. The men receive grub that they get as their food for the night. Now the silence is sadder. Work at nighttime takes on the dimensions of punishment, night time is for other things and these construction workers are aware of that and silently regret the nights that they have lost and also the ones they will continue to loose.

At dawn the same trucks come and in thoses truck come the men who will replace these on the work site. The ones that come are as sad as those that left. They seem to all be made of the same material, the same sad face. They go into the trucks carrying their tiredness from the extra hours. They carry the weight of not returning home. The first truck announces to the other truck that it is leaving with a long honk of the horn. The trucks leave with their cargo of silence. It will be a long trip.

It is almost 5 ½ kilometers to the place of arrival and silence and sadness will be their traveling companions. These silent men are not given the right to a visa, their plans have been taken away, enclosure has been imposed on them and they are obligatorily taken to these work sites. They are the political prisoners of the Provincial Jail of Pinar del Rio, Cuba.

This conversation was by Mercedes Constantin from the Information Center for Democracy in La Habana, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, in Miami, Florida, USA, on February 14, 2001, translated.

Today they detained Pedro Batista and the poor man had just been freed and he had come by here very weak, as you could imagine, and from there he was going to his house. He told me the news so that I would pass it on outside of Cuba. We had a program (radio) with Ninoska at 1:30 pm. Here they cut the (telephone) communication, I was talking and they cut the communication as is customary.

I had to do the program by myself as Marcos Lazaro had told me he would come and I don’t know where is he is. We do not know if he is at home or if they have taken him again. They given him his bike back but can you believe that they loosened all of the nuts and bolts and the poor man could have been killed. The good thing he only hurt himself once.

Everyone knows about what is happening on the 21st at 7:00 pm. I told them and that you (outside of Cuba) were going to go out at the same time, 7:00 pm, in your cars sounding your horns – I tell everyone that calls me.

…Never before did Cuba immigrate. Cubans never went to any country – only to visit, but not to stay. You see Cuba is very beautiful and now Cuba belongs only to 4 or 5 (people). Also, on Ninoska’s program I greeted Maritza who is in jail today, Belkis Barzaga Lugo, Julia Cecilia who could all be on our streets walking around but instead they have them arbitrarily jailed to release them after 4, 5 or 6 month. Why? What power do they have against them? They are not terrorists, they are not bad people, they are people with human sentiments.

And today on this day of love, love of brothers, children, parents - not only couples – it is love for all. It is love for country for which we fight and defend. And now the country of Cuba is sad. And I want Cuba without Castro. I don’t want Cuba halfway because they come from other countries to speak with Castro. No. Nobody should come. Here they put on a special plastic mask to face those people. The problem is that there are so many lies the ones that we are seeing – how many people leave? When before did Cubans immigrate? Never. Now I would like to know of someone who does not have a cousin, a nephew, a son or a relative in the United States. And it has been obligatory because no one wants to leave their country. You see Cuba is beautiful. We are Cuban.

What I know of Antunez (political prisoner) through his sister, Eloina, from Villa Clara which is in Placetas. This sister, the poor lady, she fell and broker her rotula. Yesterday her husband called me at 10:00 at night and told me that the brother is bad and remains very bad and she was released very far away. Like what was done to me they released me far away by an avenue with a broken sandal and a bad leg.

They got me out of the car and left me. I had to cross Calabasar, walk across the bridge and I road on a big truck one of those that transport cows and they were able to bring me to 102 and there on 102 I got it (a bus) to her Caballo Blanco. To get the 102 I was ready to sit on the embankment because I could not take any more. My leg was hurting and I felt bad.

All of this was because I went to Santa Barbara Church and they would not allow us. When we got out of the bus they put us in a police gymnasium. Later they put us in a car, they searched Jose Orlando, they hit him on his ankles. He would tell them “ I am going to fall.” He is very thin and now they say he looks like an x-ray. And the security does not forgive us that went to Bridon’s party, which was on the day of my birthday. And that was the great party of 42 years and there I took my good foot and I would say “100 meters under the ground, 100 meters under the ground.”

All of those infamous laws that they have created. All of this was filmed by CNN and I know that they have everything taped because CNN gave it to them and what they should have done is sent it to Miami so that it would have been showed to the world. Say it there that they have it, say it because CNN has it (the tape) and they have to give it you (outside of Cuba) because they are going to give us 100 years for that. But that does not matter. We are going to resist as much we can.

I tell everyone I know to remember to pray the Rosary in their homes on Fridays at 8:00 pm.

Report given via telephone by the Information Center Abdala, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba, Florida, U.S.A., February 13, 2001

Translation

Pinar del Rió 13th of February, 2001

According to an investigation done by our correspondent, José Felix Rodríguez Rodríguez, 80% of the population of Pinar del Rio receives drinking water. The water reaches their faucets every 5 or 6 days, and it gets there it is available only for periods of 5 or 6 hours.

This happens systematically during the entire month. Nevertheless, when the collectors go to tax the people who get the water, which this should be a service given freely being that it is such a necessary liquid, they say that the situation is not their problem. Adding that if the user of the water does not accept the payment amount that they will be charged a $50 fine.

Letter received by phone from Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller; from Guantanamo, Cuba, by Martha Tamargo, from El Puente Informativo Miami-Cuba, Miami, Florida, USA, February 9, 2001, translated by Orlando Reyes.

The letter is addressed to: Mr. Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, Director of the newspaper "Juventud Rebelde":

Sir, the reason of this letter, is to respond to the article published on Saturday by the reporter, Manuel Gonzalez Bello, under the title "Dissidents: We are in Total Disagreement", because of the mockery employed by this gentleman, Gonzalez Bello, which was destined to discredit the dissension in our country.

There is a lack of etiquette when you try to change the true meaning of the words. Dissension is the act to disagree serious opinions. Have you analyzed the reason for dissension in our country? How come, it was possible for a revolution, that was done and cost so much, and that according to Fidel Castro "of the humble and for the humble to succeed in Cuba?"

These questions are great, but one of the answer to these questions, it has been given and still continue to be given by the dissident-the same people that bother so much Your Maximo Lider. The dissidents that today are part of the ranks of the Cuban opposition against the oppressing dictatorship of Fidel Castro, the one that replaced that one that brought the sad "coup d'etat" of March 10, 1952, which ended the democratic process of our country, the Constitution of 1942, which brought to our country with it the loss of liberty and suffering of the times, and which brought the loss of freedom and suffering of today.

Another answer that you have to accept, and we are sorry for all of you: that dissension springs in Cuba, turning itself into a nightmare that affects Fidel Castro's sleep. This is true because the fight for democracy in Cuba continues, and when democracy wins freedom will not be denied to our people and human rights will be respected.

There are the dissidents that your Comandante has tried so hard to negate to the people of Cuba and the World. He has negated us, helped by people like you, an army of very talented usurpers, of everything. Thanks to the great work that the dissidents and opposition do in Cuba everyday, bravely opposes and unmasks in a daily basis the Cuban Regime, which is not possible to hide anymore. No discredit, or reduce your historical participation, this you have earned. You discredit yourselves, by been paper clowns of Fidel Castro.

I have to remind you that man thinks like he lives, and does not lives as he thinks. In reality, many dissidents try to emigrate since in this way they find a way to escape the government repression. Others emigrate because they are looking for an economic improvement. This is a situation that no one can denied. First, we have to agree that, no one is obligated to stay in place were he does not want to be. Second, this concept, wrong as it may be, is judgmental toward our country martyrs.

Comandante Camilo Cienfuegos, a man venerated by all the Cubans, had to emigrate to the U.S.A. because of the economical situation he was going through at that time. Others emigrated to the U.S.A. with the objective of collect funds for the war. Another of the many names that you usually give the dissents is "counterrevolutionary."

To oppose the government does not imply, at any time, opposition to ones own country. Find the meaning of the word "revolution" in the dictionary and lets see who really agrees or disagree with you, those who with demagogy and repression try to maintain a government which for 42 years, and during the same period a single man under three (3) titles is representing and directing all the state authority or those that in a peaceful form , either verbally or in writing, plead for the renewal in our country for a truly democratic state were the Cuban People can elect freely their rulers?

Those of us that oppose the government, in this province, the farthest to the east, we do it because of conviction. We are not paid by the United States as you stated in your article, no one gives us money. Even, because of our political position, not even the state gives us a job. We oppose the government because it does not respect our rights and fundamental freedoms. We oppose the government for the same error for which I fight.

Do you know that the Guantanamo Province has the largest index of infantile death? 9.2 for every 1,000 born; in the Guantanamo Municipality 10 for every 1,0000 born; and in the provincial hospital of Guantanamo 6.36 for every 1,000 born. Do you know that 60% of the infantile population is undernourished? Do you know that this province has the largest mortality rate for the youth in the country? Do you know that this province has the largest exodus of workers in search of work?

Do you know that the government distributes ½ pound of oil/twice a year per person, while you can find the same product on the stores that sell for foreign currency, which are sold for national currency equal to dollars? Do you know that in this province in the year 2,000 the population received 4 oz. Of meat, per person/three (3) times, no fresh fish and no one knows when was the last time that poultry was distributed?

Do you know that when the population wants to buy such articles as bed sheets and towels it has to be bought with foreign currency, and the regular worker does not receive this kind of currency? Do you know that the general population receives ½ cake of soap every other month and alternating it with the soap used for washing? Do you know that this province keeps the largest mine field in the World? Do you know that today's worker does not ask how much am I going to earn, but what can I get for free? Do you know that during the month of January each individual received three (3) eggs? Do you know that the province is ones with the greatest potential for crime?

Where is the political resoluteness that you claim daily? Why keep silent, with repressive methods, those that oppose the system? Why you have created a state of terror , in which "if you do not think like I do" and you prove it, you go to jail? Why do you forbid those that oppose you to pay tribute to the Apostle (Jose Marti), as you did during last January 28, throughout the country? Why are all the large companies under military control? Why we denied today that religion was persecuted? Why are not the Cubans nationals treated the same way as the foreigners? Why do not the Cubans have the same rights?

We oppose the government because in reality it has ceased to exist and has become a dictatorship.

This dissident, or better yet, opponent, to which Mr. Gonzalez Bello refers in his writings of poor taste, has the valor to express his feelings and that of many Cubans, that because are afraid to the government's repression, do not express themselves openly. This opponent has the courage to express , without hypocrisy the things that have been done wrong by those hypocrites that have an open platform and round tables and which try to confound the people, debating themes which go far from the reality and need of the population.

These round tables should question the solutions to the country's problems. If in 42 years of Marxist-Leninist Doctrine, imposed by the government, it has not been able to reach a truly ideological resoluteness, you will not reached either.

Ideological concessions are not imposed on the people and the really authentic democracy is not reached with speeches and declarations. Sir, we recognize your professional journalism capacity you represent. We have to tell you that you have become a paladin at the service of the state to which we have made reference in this letter.

Therefore we exhort you to put yourself in the side of truth and not in the side of easy living. That you adopt the position of human dignity and the moral of man in order to be able to, in franc and unalienable principles, to teach this great people that 42 years of dictatorship, that through demagogy, untruth, disinformation and sanctions, implementing a terror keeps itself in power bringing to this country in the more advanced times of the humanity, a greatest crisis of his history in all the services.

Sir, it would be very extensive, what in essence we try to approach in this response which we live for you to respond in your round tables, but remember, not for Fidel- but for the Cuban People.

Thank you,

Ferdinando Castro Lardiller, Delegate of the 30 of November Party, and Luis Diaz Sanchez, Vice-President of the Cuban Movement Youth for Democracy.

Received via telephone from Marcos Lázaro, La Habana, Cuba, by Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba, on the 12th day of February, 2001

TRANSLATION:

Received via telephone from Marcos Lázaro, La Habana, Cuba, by Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba, on the 12th day of February, 2001

TRANSLATION:

Conversation via telephone between Mercedes Constantin, Information Center for Democracy, La Habana, Cuba, and Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba, on the 12th day of February, 2001

TRANSLATION:

Mercedes said: Jose Orlando Bridon (political prisoner) is ill because of his kidneys. When his family went to see him in prison, they made them get undressed (his wife and 15 year old daughter). They were very nervous and his daughter would get behind her mother and say “No Mommy, not me.”

Report given via telephone by Luis Diaz Sanchez, Guantanamo, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo, Florida, USA, February 9, 2001

TRANSLATION:

University Project Without Barriers Denunciation: In the Providential Center of Guantanamo Combined the political prisoners Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta of 34 years of age and Ernesto Lucas Corral of 18 years of age, were sent to punishment cells by penal authorities in order to get them to stop their support of a hunger strike which commenced on the 25th day of January, 2001.

With them also is political prisoner Ernesto Rodriguez Robaina of 34 years of age. The two prisoners, Herrera Acosta and Lucas Corral, which since September of 1997 have served sentences of 5 and 6 years, respectively, demand of the jail authority, and under protest, an immediate solution - correct and just - regarding the health of Rodriguez Robaina. Herrera Acosta has high blood pressure.

Both of them were taken to the jail cell violently, they were mistreated and beaten. These actions of force and abuse were at the hands of Director of the Penitentiary Center Major Jorge Chediac Perez. The Officials/Captains, brothers Pablo Reyes Coba and Victor Reyes Coba and the Captain of the Security of State in the prison Silvestre Aloured Herrera.

The prisoner that is 30 years old, Randy Cabrerra Mayor, which is the one that underwent two hunger strikes recently (one from 12/31/00 - 1/12/01; and the other one from 1/17/01 - 1/23/01, Tuesday) is now having strong pain caused by stomach ulcers. The penal authorities are denying him medical assistance and utilizing Cabrerra Mayor's bad health to torture him and in this way to force him to wear the same prison clothes as the common criminals- this is something which prisoner Cabrerra Mayor says he will not accept and resists and he will not be forced to do so.

Prisoner Jorge Luis Arrasabal Zulueta, which together with prisoner, Randy Cabrerra Mayor, ended the hunger strike on the 12th day of January, 2001, is accused of contempt by the Director of the Penitentiary Center Major Jorge Chediac Perez, whom said that the new charges would be processed quickly and that he (Arrasabal Zulueta) would be condemned.

Arrasabal Zulueta is serving a serving a sentence for contempt because of the “Causa” 22 of 2000. Those things happen because the authoritarian power of the jail officials is offended if a prisoner does not accept the abuse and the humiliations when they bravely resist in protest.

Telephone conversation from Mercedes Constantin, La Habana, Cuba with Martha Tamargo, Florida, United State, February 8, 2001 and translated. This call was very disturbing as through most of it Mercedes was crying.

The following is what she said:

Marcos Lazaro told me the other day “my dear sister I have pain… I have pain.” That has left me in a very bad state. Let’s see, why do they take him (arrest) if he hasn’t done anything? It is all a totalitarian government that does whatever it wants. This is very sad.

So that all the world may know – good children, noble, honest, that are going through this tragedy in the year 2001. This is unbearable and all of what we are suffering pains my soul. Martha, it is not fear – it is fear for our children. This is not easy at all. I did not sleep last night and many of our brothers are in the same condition.

We received the very sad news that a man which is brave, with exceptional human qualities, an exceptional man, a giant, a man with principals, see things that are so unjust that they say that there is democracy here. What democracy? It is all only one person, all on same regime, all for 42 years. What do you call this? I would like for the world to put a name on this!

This is why I tell the world that 42 years, only one government, only one idea. Let the world tell me what this is called. Give it a first and last name in the name of God! They would take the brothers far away and release them so that they would walk back to their homes. With all of the need that we are going through; that people work and do not have rights to eat and dress (the most essential things in life), to obtain medicine on their own. These are honest hardworking people that are humble and Catholic – they cannot live. It is incredible but true. So that the world will know, tell the world.

Today they are visiting Gonzalez Bridon y Ibarra (political prisoners) Let’s see what news we have later around 6:00 pm. Because it is so far, last night they left at dawn waiting for the bus – the one that goes over there – the long lines and later to return here. The trip there costs 100 or 200 pesos. From where do we get that? This is horrible.

Then, what they put in the bag (for the prisoners) it is not easy. Everything is sold in dollars and we do not earn dollars. It is a disgrace that oil, soap, detergent, food, meat, eggs, do not reach your home. We are asking for normal things. We are not asking for ham, or cheese, or butter. What gets to the home is a little bit of salt, a little bit of rice, a 10 oz can of beans per person – which sometimes does not come. Every 3 or 4 months a bar of soap, the detergent comes every 5 or 6 months. The same with the grease. It is unthinkable.

It had been a long time since we had eggs and yesterday we got them. What do you do with 6 eggs for 1 child that will not have eggs again until 2 months at which time you are might get eggs again? The children need milk, eggs, meat - they need balanced meals. Then, honest people that work and do what is required of them are not able to do that. In their homes the salaries are not enough for anything. The electric bill is 40 to 50 pesos, the phone is about the same. How do you live the rest of the month in Cuba with approximately 260 pesos?

Translation of report received via telephone from Luis Osvaldo Manzanero, La Habana, Cuba, by Martha Tamargo from the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba, on February 7, 2001

At 7:30 am this morning, two officials from the state security went to the house of Marcos Lázaro Torres, the acting Vice-President of “Partido Democrático, 30 de Noviembre” (Democratic Party, 30th of November) and took him to the Capri Station in a Lada car, tag number HM92079, without giving any explanation to his wife and son.

I would like to point out that Marcos Lázaro was released from prison on the 2nd of February of this year after completing a prison term of three months and two days without being tried by a jury. In addition he is in very bad health.

Later today he was released and he tried to make his way to “La Finca Baragua” but he was not allowed to reach the Farm. (Baragua Farm is the house of Segundo Lugo and his children, many of who are active oppositionists. The Farm is known for being a meeting place for many oppositionists.) He was taken to Station 11 which is the María Luisa Calzada of Guines and Diesmero.

There is a strong presence of state security and other officials at the “Finca Baragua” and they are not allowing oppositionists to go there, forcing them to leave or simply detaining them. The state security says that it will not permit, under any circumstances, that any of them (the oppositionists) get to the house of the Lugo’s. This is how the repressive wave continues, which since the beginning of this year, the political police of the ruling regime have made warnings, arrests and threats. A large number of people that belong to diverse movements of political opposition to the establishment have suffered this repression.

Examples of this are:

On February 5, 2001 at 10:00 am, an official from the state security from Station 10 warned Belkis Aurelina Cabrera Herrera, Marisol Lugo Fernandez, and Alberto Chaves Dominguez in their home;

On February 6, 2001 at 2 pm Pedro Batista Mendez and Daniel Bacallao Batista were warned by Officials Charles y Davier;

And also on February 7, Febrero 2001 Ramón Santiago Lopez Sabori, which belongs to “Unión Cívica Nacional” (National Civic Union) and also “30 de Noviembre” (30th of November) was detained in the morning hours – his whereabouts are unknown.

In general, this is what has been happening during these days.

Open Letter from within Cuba to Fidel Castro

Dictated via telephone by Ferdinando Castro de Lastiller, Guantanamo, Cuba to Martha Tamargo from “El Puente Informativo Miami-Cuba” (the Information Bridge Miami-Cuba) on February 2, 2001 and translated.

Letter to the Governor of Cuba, Mr. Fidel Castro, Commander in Chief and Secretary Premier of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Counsel of the State and Ministry:

Sir, we, the Cuban citizens and residents of the Province of Guantanamo, guided by the ideas of Jose Marti, and supported in the Preamble of the Article 1 of the New Article, Subsection A.3, Article 12, Subsections A & G, Articles, 42, 53, 54 and 63 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba, the fundamental history of our people expressed in the pragmatic platform of the communist party of Cuba and its declarations “La Historia me Alsovera” (History will Absolve Me).

We ask that our political rights and the most elemental democratic liberties be considered and respected. It is a fallacy to believe that to oppose a system of government is to oppose one’s country. By the same token, our Apostle Jose Marti is not the property of the communist party. Our Apostle is the property of all Cubans – regardless of their political theories.

Jose Marti did not want his people to be a group of men whom blindly follow a leader for what that leader can offer him. What Marti wanted was a people made up of responsible citizens that think and act independently. His dream was that each Cuban would be a political man, entirely free with respect for honesty, righteousness no matter what their class or social condition. It is the right of man to think and act in line with the highest moral principles without anyone forcing him to separate from them. What holds together his thoughts and freedom is the right all men have to be honest and to think and speak without hypocrisy.

I say this because this past 27th of January, on the eve of the 148th anniversary of the birth date of Jose Marti, the Department of the State Security in this province at 1300 hours began a grogram of detentions against the dissidents whom only wanted to render homage to our Apostle by placing a floral arrangement by a statue located in the central park that is named after him.

By means of individual letters, we were threatened with imprisonment if we continued with out intentions of placing the flowers at the statue. Where is the political freedom and the social justice outlined in Article 1 of the Constitution? The people are discriminated and threatened for trying to comply with this sacred duty, which is to render homage to our Apostle.

Why are we being deprived of this right? This would have been acceptable if it had happened had we tried to participate in an act at the conception of the Marxist-Leninist educational politics of the communist party. Our people should have been educated under the doctrines and principle of Jose Marti because he was guide and organizer of the New War Emancipation.

He gathered Cubans in immigration and organized the first revolutionary party which Constitution took place on April 10, 1892, to fight for independence and a progressive democratic republic. He gave an arsenal of advanced ideas, which should have served not only as a flag, to the revolutionaries of his time, put also to the generation that came after. What Jose Marti said served as your guide in “La Historia me Alsovera” (History will Absolve Me). You write that Jose Marti would not die in his century – you were right; because today, 148 years after his birth date, he lives more than ever in each of our hearts.

In this discriminatory campaign, we are labeled as “counterrevolutionaries” for opposing a government that has been in power 43 years representing all of the powers of the Cuban state. If we keep in mind that the word “revolution” signifies the action of revolving, commotion, sedition, violent change of the political situation of a country and commotion. Who then in reality are the ones who are in counterrevolution? Are they the one who want to maintain the status quo government or the ones who wish a change through pacific means?

And we are not paid by the United States because the opposition in Guantanamo does not have one cent from anyone, nor do we have computers or equipment as alluded to in the Round Tables (a program aired almost daily in Cuba wherein “experts” discuss issues about the opposition in Cuba and about the U.S.)

We oppose the government because we want a truly democratic government as the Republic which you refer to in “La Historia me Alsovera” (History will Absolve Me) whose people can change the government and, according to Article 68 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba, “all of the representative branches of the state are elective and renewable.”

How can this be explained when you ascended to the position of Prime Minister in February 1959 and have maintained for 42 years the representation of the government, all of the powers of the state? You yourself state that the Cuban revolution is stronger today than ever. Then why does the government repress the section of the people, which opposes it? Why, if you are so sure of yourself, does political freedom not exist and the teachings of Jose Marti are not respected? “Freedom is the right every man has to be honest and to think and act without hypocrisy.” When the right of man to think and act in line with the highest moral principles without anyone forcing them to separate, then that is a foundation of a true republic.

All we ask is that those rights be respected. From the moment a government imposes its political convictions, it deprives and limits man of his fundamental freedom and refrains from being a democratic government and instead turns into a tyranny.

Why didn’t the newspaper “Gramma” publish the story of the strike force by the State Security which took place on the 27th and 28th of January? Their goal was to stop the opposition in all of Cuba from reaching the statue of our Apostle Jose Marti to lay a floral offering.

The police and State Security heavily surrounded them. Instead, they published that the Latin Americans - the Argentineans, Venezuelan’s, Dominican, and Nicaraguans - rendered homage to Jose Marti. They have more rights than does this section of the Cuban people which opposes a government; it does not mean that it opposes Jose Marti whom himself wrote :good should not be defamed because it does not belong to us.”

We form part of the government doctrine. Solely the condition of being Cuban, born in this country, gives us more than the right to pay homage to our Apostle Jose Marti and no one can prohibit that. When a republic exists such as the one you describe in “La Historia me Alsovera” (History will Absolve Me), when political freedom exits, when the people could freely elect their presidents, when there is no difference of classes, when Cubans are treated in the same manner and with the same rights that foreigners are treated in this country, then your “Program del Moncada” would be accomplished – and not how it was described by you on October 15, 1960.

Honorable Sir, I would be hypocritical and dishonest with myself, with you and with a large part of the people whom oppose you and do not express their feeling for fear of the repression, to not express this unsettling matter.

Respectfully yours,

Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller

Pedro Perez #456 entre 3 & 4 Norte

Guantanamo, Cuba

Delegate of “Partido 30 de Noviembre en Guantanamo” (non-government approved 30th of November Party in Guantanamo)

Vice Delegate of the Coordinador Obrera (non-government approved Workers Organization)

Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 2:12 AM
Subject: Fw: FROM CUBA Disappearance of Man/Joven Desaparecido

SPANISH/ENGLISH

Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 12:10 AM
Subject: Fwd: Joven Desaparecido

DESAPARECIDO JOVEN DE LAS TUNAS
01/02/2001
Por Jorge Olivera/ HavanaPress La Habana (NPC), 1 de febrero.

A más de 29 días de ser golpeado y posteriormente arrestado por la policía nacional, Leonardo Bueno Fernández, de 31 años, y residente en la zona de Manatí, en la provincia Las Tunas, se encuentra desaparecido, según dijo Héctor Riverón, colaborador de la agenciaCubaPress en esa zona.

El incidente tuvo lugar el 31 de diciembre, y las versiones del mismo son confusas y contradictorias. "Estamos preocupados. Pensamos lo peor. Lo hemos buscado en varias comisarías pero nos dicen que no está allí...", dijo la madre de Leonardo Bueno.

Los familiares precisaron que ya no saben a donde acudir para tener noticias de Leonardo.

Nueva Prensa Cubana / Reportó desde La Habana, Jorge Olivera/ HavanaPress.

After more than 29 days of first beatings and later arrest by national police, Leonardo Bueno Fernandez, 31 years old, and resident of Manati, Las Tunas Province, is missing, according to Hector Riveron, collaborator with the agency CubaPress, of the area of Manati.

He has been missing since December 31, about which reports have been confused and contradictory.

"We are worried. We think the worst. We have searched for him at several police stations, but they tell us he is not there," said Bueno' mother.

Family members stated that they no longer know where to turn for news of Leoardo.

This report was given via telephone by Tomas Felipe Arrastia Lorenzo Lopez, Provincial Vice-Delegate of “Partido 30 de Noviembre” from Pinar del Rio, Cuba to Martha Tamargo, USA (translated)

Strong strike force against defenders of human rights and oppositionists.

During early dawn, on the 27th of January, 2001, Tomas Felipe Arrastia, Florentino Fernandez, Leonardo Rivera Monterey, defenders of human rights were forced to board a bus which tag number is PP000953 in Cuba where some agents mistreated them. The were dispersed in the middle of the country in hours of dawn. By the testimony of Mr. Arrastia, we know that he was beaten, provoked, taunted, harassed, and disrespected by their use of offensive language.