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Dated: July 29, 2001 Received: July 31, 2001 Open Tribunes and Round Tables are imposed on the Prison Population By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller (Guantánamo, Cuba) –The Directors of jails and prisons, at the “Combinado del Este” Provincial Prison of Guantánamo, have imposed as an obligatory rule to the penal population, to watch the daily Round Tables and Open Tribunes, as well as their debate once these are finished. These constant convocations to imposed events and these forced formations are overseen by representatives of organizations of masses, such as the Communist Party and The Ministry of the Interior (MININT), they supervise these Round Tables and Open Tribunes inside the prison. Not even inside the prison can one escape from the demagogue's fury of the autocrat Fidel Castro, whom places impositions whereby the prisoners are driven in a brutal way to these official convocations, as a cattle mass is driven towards the scaffold, where the prisoner is forced to applaud before the flunkies gendarmes. It is truly unjust to subject a penal population, drained by the outrages of a totalitarian, corrupt government who also violates the human rights of its people, to these brutal convocations. How would the five Cuban prisoners presently serving sentences for crimes of espionage in the United States feel, if they ended up receiving the inhumane treatment that every Cuban receives in this immense prison called The Island of Cuba? From Guantánamo, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of the PD-30-N to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. Given on July 26, 2001. |
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July 31, 2001 Fragment of letter from Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet Translation of a section of a letter from prisoner of conscience Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet to his wife, Elsa Morejon, from the "Cuba Si" prison in Holguin, Cuba: The difficulties are increasing. Now they want to force me to wear the prison's uniform, but with God's help, they will never be able to force me to do that. Do not be scared, it won't be long now for this evil to be over . Resist until the end in the path of God and God will give you joy as He did for Esther and Ruth, and I will wait like Job. Holguin, July, 2001 |
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July 31, 2001 Cattle-raiser and milk producer is detained by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller (Guantánamo, Cuba) - The independent countryman Lázaro Hernández Velásquez, cattle-raiser and milk producer, was detained by the auxiliaries of the "Policía Nacional Revolucionaria 'PNR' " (National Revolutionary Police), while he was moving from his residence in Bejuquera de Filipinas, Municipality of Niceto Pérez, to the City of Guantánamo. When Lázaro was detained, he was carrying a piece of cheese that weighed approximately 12 pounds, said one of the auxiliaries by the name of Joel Elías. Lázaro was taken before René Caballero, "PNR" (National Revolutionary Police) chief of that area, whom fined Lázaro for lack of respect to authority, according to them. Benerdis García Sánchez, an independent countryman who denounces this unjust act [by] the police authorities, explains that Hernández Velásquez is the person in charge of handing over the milk to the State in accordance with a contract, for this product is controlled by the State which is the entity in charge of its commercialization. In spite of the fact that this countryman is a cattle-raiser and a milk producer, he is prohibited from transporting milk or cheese. Nevertheless, the fine was not imposed due to this product, even though it was the motive for his detention. State Security Officer is Substituted by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller (Guantánamo, Cuba) - Major Cesy, member of the Department of State Security, and head of the penal ward 2-P in the General Hospital "Agustino Neto", and whom maintained a cruel and inhumane attitude with the convalescent prisoners with various infirmities, was removed from his position. This henchman from the Castro regime constantly interfered with the prisoners' medical treatment. He would delay in getting the medical attention to the prisoners, to the point that on several occasions they were returned to their cell without receiving any medical attention, as was the case of the political prisoners Jorge Luis Larrazabal Zulueta and Randy Cabrera Mayor. The substitution primarily took place due to the many denouncements made by the prisoners, their families, civil workers and Human Rights organizations. He was also demoted to captain. Official of the Technical Department of Investigations ("DTI") is detained by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller On the night of July 25th Captain Orestes, a member of the Technical Department of Investigations ("DTI") was detained and driven to the Operations Department of the State Security. This corrupt official took advantage of two young ladies who were being held in a cell in said official's department. The official pulled down his pants and commenced an obscene sexual act in front of the young ladies. In previous occasions, this unscrupulous official, detained people whom were selling merchandise on the streets, in order to steal from them their merchandise and any monies they had on them, letting them go afterwards. This corrupt official is presently in cell #8, of the Technical Department of Investigations. Reported by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo, Cuba, Delegate of the "Partido Democratico 30 de Noviembre 'Frank Pais' ", to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, July 26, 2001. |
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July 26, 2001 DENOUNCEMENT: Tense situation in the Provincial Prison Combinado of Guantanamo The situation remains tense in the Provincial Prison Combinado of Guantanamo because of the authorities' inability in controlling the outbreak of tuberculosis which originated there as a consequence of the violations committed in regards to sanitary hygiene for the prison and for the prisoners. Patients in critical condition, like that of Isidro Osmel Sosa Taurio and Pausides Tejeda Ge are forced to live together the rest of the penal population, in violation of the isolation procedures that this disease requires due to its easy and rapid contamination rate. The dictator's lackeys, in a perverse and diabolic attitude, transfer the contagious prisoners to the cells holding political prisoners, in the same manner as they did it to the prisoner of conscience Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina. Reported by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo, Cuba, Delegate of the "Partido Democratico 30 de Noviembre 'Frank Pais' ", to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, July 26, 2001. |
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July 24, 2001 Denouncement: Town Solidarity Stops Authorities from Expulsion of Family (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) The quick and unified action of the neighbors of Ana Iris Utria who lives at Street 2 North, between 11th and 12th West, in the neighborhood of San Justo, in Guantanamo, Cuba, impeded her and her family's expulsion from their house, when in early morning hours on July 23rd approximately 15 agents of the National Revolutionary Police (Policia Nacional Revolucionaria "PNR") arrived at their home and about eight home inspectors. Ana Iris, along with her husband and children, locked themselves in their home while the policemen tried breaking open the door. Upon witnessing this unjust action, the town manifested that if they had fought for Elian Gonzalez Broton, why wouldn't they fight for these people also, for which forced discussions Round Table were held for situations similar to this. This attitude of solidarity impeded the authorities from continuing in their objective, but not without first informing the town that either way they would be evicted. Ana Iris has worked in the General Hospital Docente Agustino Neto for the past 20 years with impeccable conduct, according to the worker union section of said hospital. Today she is the victim of the abuse of power the demagogues and autocrat Fidel Castro's totalitarian regime. DENOUNCEMENT: Police repression against member of the peaceful opposition A member of the peaceful opposition, Jose A. Guerra Dominguez, became a victim of police repression when two agents of the police force stopped him on "Los Maceo" Street, on the corner of "Narciso Lopez". The agent, whose last name is Lemira, verbally offended this member of the opposition, threatening to beat him, without Dominguez having committed any crime. Upon reclaiming his rights as a citizens, these members of the police force fined him with $30.00 fine, Number E146839, because counterrevolutionaries are deprived of the rights which the revolution grants. DENOUNCEMENT: Political Prisoner is a victim of threats and abuse The political prisoner Ernesto Lucas Corral Cabrera, confined to Cell A-500 of the Provincial Prison Combinado of Guantanamo, is a victim of abuse and threats at the hands of the reeducator Captain Victor Reyes Coba of Company No. 1, who has maintains this prisoner threatened with making his existence miserable by taking repressive actions such as suspending visits and whatever minute benefits he might have if he continues to protest, because of Cabrera's firm non-conformist stance. Because of this continual threatening attitude by the official, the political prisoner has warned them that the only responsible party for whatever may happen to his physical integrity is the repressive units of the State Security and the department of jails and prisoners investigations whom are well aware of these violations and degrading acts against him. Reported by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo, Cuba, Delegate of the "Partido Democratico 30 de Noviembre 'Frank Pais'", to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, July 26, 2001. |
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July 21, 2001 Denouncement: Contagious health risk for prisoner of conscious By Eduardo Quintana Arbois (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) Prisoner of conscious, Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina, unjustly imprisoned by Cuban authorities in a rigged, manipulated judicial process, was sentenced ,and the repressive arm of the State Security controlled the entire process. Lobaina Rodriguez wants the entire world, and the Cuban people to know the humiliating and offensive situation which he is being subjected to by the penitentiary authorities of the Cuban regime in the prison of Guantanamo. Lobaina Rodriguez states that he has spent 9 of the 17 months that he has been imprisoned, in harsh solitary confinement,in a ward named "Siberia" a-500. During these 9 months,he has been confined with common criminals, some of whom are suffering with tuberculosis, in its dangerously contagious stage. This is taking place with the full knowledge and malicious complicity of the so called "medical team"; whom with their militarized frame of mind and very servile behavior,work on the prison grounds for the repressive arm, devoid of any medical "ethics". In spite of repeated denouncements made on previous occasions, the head of the aforementioned medical team, first lieutenent Aracelis, in response to the claims made by the political prisoner, stated that because of the political characteristics of this prisoner, the medical team was not in the least bit interested in his health. The so called "characteristics" this "renowned" scientist is referring to is the adversary political and ideological stance that this prisoner of conscience takes against the governing totalitarian regime. The medical team, in complicity with the prison authorities and the Department of State Security, refuse to give him the test for tuberculosis and medical treatment needed to determine possible infection and prevention of the illness. However, the military personnel, in charge of his custody, are frequently removed from this area, and are afforded preventive treatment, and proper medical attention in order to avoid contamination of the illness. Lobaina asks, what would the Cuban authorities say, if the 5 Cuban spies detained in the United States; and whom are now being reclaimed by the Cuban government; were subjected to this treatment and deplorable situation. Reported by Eduardo Quintana Arbois, Secretary of Public Relations and Director of the Information Center of the "Partido Democratico 30 de Noviembre "Frank Pais"' in Guantanamo, Cuba, to Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, in Miami, Florida, USA, on July 20, 2001. |
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July 19, 2001 16 Year Old Student is Harassed by Pedro Castellanos Pérez (Cienfuegos, Cuba) - Sandra Ortiz Rosada, a student from Pedro Pérez Concepción of Ramón Balboa Central, Municipality of de Cruces, is harassed simply for wearing in public a scarf with the United States flag. The director of the school and the Secretary of the Communist Youth commenced a campaign against this 16 year old student,which included threats and summons resulting in her expulsion from the high school. In addition, the Secretary of the Communist Youth, Ricardo Pérez, proposed to this minor that if she would go to bed with him she would not have any kind of problems. Upon hearing these words, the young girl slapped him and left the school. Furthermore, this 16year old minor has problems with her eyesight,and cannot go to the country to do voluntary work in the fields,something that is mandated by the state.This is yet another inhumane reason as to why she is a target for undue harassment. Education in Cuba is "free",but it is subjected to what the the school's principles, the municipalities, and the pre (high school), in other words the "state" mandates, including not allowing the students to wear another country's emblem. They have reached this extreme, (the state officials) that they fear the United States flag,which by the way, the young people wear it either on scarves, pants or shirts in our country. Until when will we have to put up with the verbal abuse and sexual harassment of our students? |
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Land Mines Continue Claiming Victims in Guantanamo, Cuba By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller A twenty five year old man, by the name of Rolando Cala Cabrera, a resident of the town of Boqueron in the Municipality Caimanera, Province of Guantanamo, stepped on a landmine, he bled to death several hours later. On July 1, 2001, Rolando Cala Cabrera, nicknamed “Misinaqui”, stepped on a landmine in the sector located between the place known as “ALTURA” and “PATRULLA”, a few kilometers from the town of Boqueron, in Guantánamo, Cuba. The explosion ripped off one of Rolando’s legs and part of his testicles. The tragedy occurred in the early morning hours, he was in an agony for several hours, alert and conscious, bleeding to death, and begging for some water, finally at 11:00 am, as he was being placed in an ambulance, he died. The engineer in charge of the supervision of the mined perimeter at that time was “Vargas”, after the explosion, Vargas took his time to get to where Rolando was. In addition, another official outside of the mined perimeter, Lieutenant-Colonel Canada, was heard telling the engineer, "don't hurry - Cala is the one that's there", referring to they young man. While this painful criminal episode was taking place in the mined field, agents of the "PNR" (National Revolutionary Police), arrived at the home of the wife of Eider Jimenez Centeno, in Caimanera detaining him and taking him to where this sad incident had occurred, for him to witness his friend slowly bleeding to death and with the cynicism characteristic of this dictatorship, they told him - "look at yourself in that mirror". Finally, after his eight desperate attempt to obtain refuge at the U.S. Naval Base of Guantanamo, at 11:00 a.m. as he was being placed in the ambulance, he died .. He is now another one of the dozens killed in this mine field, people who are mostly young, whom die trying to escape looking for freedom. We are sure that Rolando Cala Cabrera will not be the last victim. Others will continue falling in that parched mine field of blood where Cubans in a desperate attempt of obtaining freedom will continue to fill with their blood; that mine field does not have any military objective and by the same token that military base does not constitute any type of threat to Cuba. Translation by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami |
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July 13, 2001 On a Day Like Today By Guantanamo Delegation of "Partido Democratico 30 de Noviembre "Frank Pais" On a day like today, the 13th of July, 1994, in a criminal act, Boat No. T-554 of the Cuban Coast Guard, attacked with the hatred, which is characteristic of Communist Regimes, the Tugboat "13 de Marzo", where the passengers, which included children and women, in their desperate yearning for Freedom were headed toward the United States. In this criminal act, executed at the order of the Cuban government, almost all of these innocent people died including women and children. A similar act occurred in the Canimar River outlet in the Province of Matanza when another Cuban Coast Guard sank a boat that also had children and women passengers. These are innocent people who are victims of the State Terrorism implanted in Cuba for the past 42 years by the autocrat Fidel Castro. Also victims were the 4 crew members of the Brothers to the Rescue planes which were downed by combat planes of the Dictator. "May God have in His Glory all of these innocent people assassinated by the government of Cuba". "May God have in His Glory all of the hundreds of Cubans which in a desperate urge for freedom have lost their lives in the Florida straights, in the mined fields of the perimiter border or have been killed by gunfire by border patrols." "Down with the tyranny implanted in our suffering country for the past 42 years!" "Long live Love, Peace and Freedom in all Cubans!" "For a Free and Democratic Cuba!" Received by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, on July 14, 2001 |
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July 12, 2001 Tribute for the victims of the Tugboat "13 de Marzo" by René Montes de Oca Martija (Havana, Cuba) The 13th of July, 2001, is a day of National morning . We pay tribute to the 42 victims of the Tugboat "13 de Marzo" whom lie on bottom of the ocean, claiming justice and solidarity. Our tribute is extended to all the victims whom have died during these 42 years in search of freedom. Our condolences to the relatives of those that have disappeared in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Straights of Florida. May God hold our martyrs in his Glory and give solace to the suffering Cuban people. From the Prison "Combinado del Este", René Montes de Oca Martija, Secretary General of "Partido Pro Derechos Humanos de Cuba", informed by Esther Germán Valdés from the Information Center on Democracy Democracia to el Puente Informativo Cuba-Miami. Given July 9, 2001. |
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July 12, 2001 Abandoned Children - in Cuba! By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller Translation July 7, 2001, marks the ninth day since the arrest of Mrs. Juana Espet Marin, 38 years old, a resident at "4 norte, between Pedro A. Perez and Calixto Garcia", and the mother of two minor children: Jesis Diaz Espet, 6 years old; and Yodenis Diaz Espet who is 3 years old. Social Welfare left these two children abandoned on the streets. Their incarcerated mother, is accused of not feeding her children, repeated inappropriate public behavior and alcoholism. More than two years ago, Mrs. Juana Espet returned to Guantanamo from the province of Matanzas, with no means of obtaining food for herself. Because these innocent children are not named "Elian Gonzalez" the government does not make a political issue of them. This family has been repeatedly visited by Social Welfare, and they have not been able to offer any kind of solution to this painful case involving the children, whom barefoot and barely dressed, go from house to house begging for something to eat. Official Ortiz, the area monitor, is aware of the situation and does nothing to remedy the situation. It is shameful that this occurs in a country that carried out a campaign such as the one for Elian Gonzalez while other children suffer abandonment and lack of shelter from the government. |
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July 12, 2001 Justification Campaign Continues in the press and television By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller Translation (CUBA) Since June 19th, the press and television, at the service of the dictator Fidel Castro, have continued their justification campaign involving the five Cuban spies incarcerated in the United States. The Delegation of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre, 'Frank Pais'" in Guantánamo, labeled the open tribunes and round table discussions as being "from the bowels of the monster" lacking in common sense and only serving to demonstrate the decaying frenzy with which the autocrat Fidel Castro, in his imbalanced desire to continue manipulating the minds of Cubans through his speeches and his demagogues declarations, tries to justify acts that are sanctioned by the entire world. We would also like to point out that these five spies not only made the mistake of collecting secret information from a foreign government , but in addition they betrayed the humanitarian welcome that the government and people of the United States have been giving to Cubans for over a century. This psychopath of a dictator only tries to breed hatred between these two nations. Today, he manipulated the press and television saying that the “Cuban American mafia”- name given by the Castro government to the Cubans in exile residing in the United States- is behind all of this. This exile community residing in the United States, grieves the lack of freedom in Cuba and in one way or another help the Cubans that oppose the Castro government in a peaceful manner. Nonetheless, the dictator Fidel Castro, who in the name of the people lead a revolution through acts of terrorism such as sabotage, which only brought mourning to the Cuban family, calls the patriotic Cubans residing in exile, “mafia”. Patriots that were vilely deceived by this psychopath, whom has only brought , hunger and misery to the Cuban people, implanting a life long dictatorship in our Country that has so far lasted 42 years . Those five spies, despite the distance, do maintain a stable communication with their families; they can watch television, hear the news and read the press. Prisoners in Cuba do not have these rights, and for much lesser crimes than those committed by those five spies, they are confined to completely covered punishment cells, their visits are suspended, and their mail is confiscated. The Cuban government has no moral ground to question the treatment given to these spies serving a sentence in the United States. |
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July 10, 2001 Repression in Cuba has started as the 13th of July Draws Near By Pablo Rodríguez Carvajal (CUBA) Rogelio Menéndez, an activist belonging to the dissident Movement known as "13 de Julio" (13th of July), was apprehended by the state police in the early morning hours of Saturday, July 7, as he was leaving the house of the independent journalist Ángel Pablo Polanco. Since his apprehension, Mr. Menendez' whereabouts are unknown. The above mentioned news was reported by Marcel Valenzuela Salt, a member of the opposionist organization "Hermandad Cívica" (Civic Brotherhood). The news was given on the air,during Radio Democracia's broadcast on the same night the apprehension took place.This radio program broadcasts every Saturday night from 10:00 pm-midnight. Marcel Valenzuela Salt had to call the radio program from Iovany Aguilar Camejo's home, an activist with "Movimiento Hermanos Fraternales por la Dignidad" (Brotherly Movement for Dignity). Mr Valenzuela could not call from his own phone because his phone line was cut by the state authorities, in an effort to prevent the activist from calling the radio program in Miami. Previous to his disappearance, Rogelio Menéndez had been threatened with one year of imprisonment if he were to take part in an activity commemorating the the anniversary of the sinking of the tugboat "13 de Marzo"(13th of March), where 41 cuban nationals, including men, women and children were drowned (assassinated) by Castro's totalitarian regime while attempting to flee the Island. This tragic event took place on July 13th, 1994. |
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July 09, 2001 Reprisal in "El Diamante" By Pedro Castellanos Pérez (CIENFUEGOS, CUBA) Prisoner of conscious Bernardo Arévalo Padrón is in "El Diamante" prison, located in the Municipality of Cartagena, in the Cienfuegos province. Yesterday in the early morning hours the guards Vladimiro de la Cruz Romero and Aidel Molina García loudly entered the prison's ward and confiscated the recorder of the common prisoner Lázaro López. This is an example of the reprisals that the prisoners of our island have to endure. That recorder was the only entertainment that the prisoners had in that ward, where there are 32 prisoners composed of political and common prisoners. Once again the measures which the regime takes against the prisoners are evident. From Cienfuegos, Pedro Castellanos Pérez for the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |
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July 09 What happens to Cubans that are captured and are returned from the (U.S.) Naval Base in Guantanamo, Cuba to Cuban Territory By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller July 4, 2001 (Guantánamo, Cuba) When Cuban nationals are returned from the (U.S.) Naval Base in Guantanamo and are received by the cuban authorities, they are blindfolded in the neutral or free zone until they are out of the tunnel; then they are driven to the Department of Operations in the State Security, where they are forced to bathe in a grimy place, without any type of sanitation. The floor is green with mold because of the stationery water, where they are later taken to the interrogation room or the cold room, and are interrogated for hours while being psychologically tortured and threatened. This detention lasts between seven and ten days. Upon their release, these Cubans become outcasts, are isolated and are watched by the Department of State Security; they are not given work and if by chance they get a job they are usually thrown out once the director of the place of employment finds out that they tried to leave the country. From Guantánamo, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre" for the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |