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June 29, 2001 Translation: The Opinion of the Opposition in Guantanamo, Cuba, regarding the Spies June 22, 2001 Granma, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, in its first edition which cut-off time was at 11:00 pm Wednesday the 20th of June, published the story of the conviction of the 5 spies in the United States who were working for the Intelligence Units of the dictator, Fidel Castro. The Delegation of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre "Frank Pais" in Guantanamo, considers the hypocritical manipulation by the Cuban government absurd, attempting to justify an act of espionage which took place inside U.S. territory, which originated and was led by the counter-intelligence units of the Cuban government. Law No. 62 of the Cuban Penal Code, under Article 97.1 reads: "whoever, in detriment of the State Security, participates, collaborates or maintains relations with the information services of a foreign state or provides them with information, or obtains information with the intention of passing it to any foreign state, will be sentenced to prison for 10 - 20 years or death." In Law 97.2 the same sentence is imposed on anyone who gives to a foreign state information of a secret nature which could cause prejudice against the Republic, the same applies to the one who obtains or is found carrying the information. The Articles under Special Crimes Against the State Security were repealed by Laws 87 and 88, modifiers of the penal code, where sentences are now 20 or 30 years in prison, life sentence or death. We acknowledge and are cognizant of the fact that had the spies been American or Cubans working for the United States, the Communist Party tribunals of Cuba would not have had the slightest bit of compassion with them, being that this government has executed men whose crimes don't even come close to these. In a response letter to the U.S., these 5 Cuban citizens, charged with and found guilty of espionage, question why the North American public and the Cuban people so close geographically but cannot live in peace - but they fail to mention the 42 years of the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, and the constant discourses and declarations made against the United States. They also mention that as a result of aggressions committed by Cubans residing in the United States between 1959 and 1999 there has been 3478 deaths and 2099 were left handicapped, but they fail to mention that if this were true, which it is not, that the supposed tatics that the Cubans used, as described by them are the identical tactic to that used by the dictator Fidel Castro to overthrow Batista: invasion, sabotage and aggression. In addition, they should have acknowledged that if that would have happened that Cubans envisioned a limitless dictatorship that had taken over Cuba, headed by the autocrat Fidel Castro. They also do not mention the more than 5000 men that were killed by firing squads in 1961 solely for belonging to an organization that opposed the government and many others during these 42 years of an out of control dictatorship. They also did not mention the official number of the 2077 young people that were killed in Africa that were mercenaries titled as "internationalists". The also did not mention the men trained by the Cuban government, members of subversive organizations of other countries such as the "ETA" in Spain. the Salvadorian guerilla, Tupec Amaru and others. The also do not mention the existence along the perimeter of the US Naval base in Guantanamo of the largest mine field in the world, that has no military objective and for which the only victims are dozens of Cubans whom have lost their lives not only because of the mines but also by machine gun fire and many more have been left maimed. In our opinion, as members of the opposition of the most cruel dictatorship in human history, as peaceful fighters for democracy in Cuba, that merely serving the government is in itself condemnable. It is a government that has brought mourning to thousands of Cuban homes, that has separated millions of Cubans, that has planted distrust and hatred in this immense family, that has provoked thousands of people, in a suicidal act, to take to the ocean or the land mines in search of freedom. Abandoning the most important things that exist, mother, wife and children, to go to a country which from the era of the Mambises, has helped Cubans, to act as a spy for a government that does not take into account human values such as the family, is not only condemnable by man but also by God. In our opinion, instead of the Cuban government spending millions in financing for spies it should look for practical solutions and for reconciliation with our brothers in exile and the North American public, to spend these sums of money to cultivate Love, Peace and Friendship between both countries. Received from Eduardo Alberto Quintana Arbois, Public Relations Secretary of the Democratic Party 30th of November "Frank Pais" and Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Guantanamo Delegate of the Democratic Party 30th of November "Frank Pais" received by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, on June 22, 2001. |
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June 28, 2001 Report by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Cuba Translation by Martha Tamargo, Miami, Florida Denouncement Guantánamo's Provincial Hospital taken by Military Counter Intelligence, State Security and National Revolutionary Police while U.S. Naval Base Admiral tours restored hospital wards. June 22, 2001 (Guantanamo, Cuba) It is being said in Guantanamo that the United States government donated 9 million dollars for reparations of the Provincial Hospital "Clínico Quirurgico Agustino Neto", where at the present time, major repairs were conducted only to some of the hospital wards, while other hospital wards remain in the same deplorable condition. Citizens in Guantánamo are puzzled by this action ... what's going on? They are asking amongst themselves. On June 17th, 2001, at 1:30pm, the United States Admiral in charge of the Guantánamo Naval Base, was seen toured the above mentioned hospital facility, accompanied by Cuban Lieutenant-Colonel Eriberto Bongo Ronquillo of the Border Patrol Troops. Upon arriving at the hospital facility, they were met by Jaime Lobo, Director of the Provincial Hospital "Clínico Quirúrgico Agustino Neto", the tour lasted for 1 1/2 hours. They only visited the hospital wards that were restored: The Guarded Observartion Ward, The Intensive and Intermediate Care Units and the Burn Unit. During the visit the entire medical personnel were behind closed doors in their respective departments. No one was allowed to be in the hallways. The hospital was taken over by the military Counter Intelligence, Department of State Security and the National Revolutionary Police. The Vigilance and Protection Unit were dressed in civilian clothes and not in their usual military uniform. Patients admitted in the medicine ward, maternity ward, surgery ward and others that were not restored are asking why The U.S. Naval Official and Border Patrol Official were not taken to those wards, where the sick have to lay in beds made with ripped and soiled sheets, shortage of water, and where when night falls the bats make it their home? For more than 7 days this hospital has been taken over by these repressive military units and the public does not know why. There are rumors that a possible earthquake might affect the south coast of the Oriente Province, others rumor that perhaps the victims of Viequez that suffer from cardiovascular abnormalities and those that suffer from an illness provoked by the explosion of missiles will be attended in this hospital. But the official government press does not mention anything about this, maintaining total silence and omitting the actions beings witnessed by this great city. Proving that the Cuban government omits things, manipulates information and remains completely silent about things which are not to their convenience to publish, a characteristic attitude of this cruel dictatorship. |
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June 23, 2001 Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller describes his arrest on June 15th Recorded and transcribed by Martha Tamargo for CubaCampaign.ORG Because of my attitude against the government, they put me through an intense interrogation in a cold room. They would tell me that they are tired of me and that they are going to make me disappear. The first thing they did was to put me in a cell that was completely covered and extremely hot. Then I was put in a room that was lined with curtains. It was about 2 meters x 1.5 meters. It has a huge air conditioner which is placed aprx. 70 cm from the floor. There is a small metal bench that is welded to the floor about 30 cm away from the airconditioner. The air conditioner was to my back. It was freezing in that small room where the air conditioner remains on 24 hours a day and you are not allowed to adjust the temperature. They call this the interrogation room. The interrogators were constantly in the room but they were wearing a coat while I had to be only in my underwear with the airconditioner blowing on my back. I was almost unable to answer their questions. They asked: what was I thinking inciting the people against the government. They told me that what we were wanting to do with the Project Varela was not going to happen. |
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June 18, 2001 Report from The New Australian http://www.newaus.com.au/aatemp251castro.html Australian media spike Castro’s imprisonment of dissident journalist by Gerard Jackson In another disgusting act of craven obsequiousness the Australian press has spiked the story of Jose Orlando Gonzalez Bridon who was sentenced by one of Castro’s Communist Party mock courts to two years imprisonment for publishing on a foreign web site articles that criticised Castro’s dictatorship. Bridon had been arrested and imprisoned on the charge of “spreading lies” about the Cuban state, i.e., telling the truth about Castro’s police state. In an attempt to further intimidate Cubans Castro ordered in 1999 that anyone who collaborates with the foreign media can be given a 20 year sentence. Furthermore, those found guilty of being “socially guilty” or of “insulting Fidel” are also given savage sentences. Despite these vicious laws and Castro’s assaults on the liberty and lives of journalists the Australian media adamantly refuses to report his outrageous violations of human rights. Rupert Murdoch’s Australian, sometimes called the Havana Times, and the Melbourne Age, aka The Spencer Street Soviet, have an appalling reputation for covering up Castro’s crimes, with The Age even blaming the US for the appalling state of the Cuban economy. The Bridon case is just another sickening example of these rags kowtowing to Castro’s vicious regime. |
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June 18, 2001 New Form of Slavery in the 21st Century By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 16, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) From the provincial prison of Guantanamo, political prisoner Randy Cabrera Mayor tells us: "the prisons in Cuba actually play an important part in the local economy, providing for various businesses and state run institutions with cheap labor, and is used in complicated jobs under difficult conditions, in addition to the existence of symbolic salaries in some cases and the non-existence of same in others." "Sometimes this forced labor takes place in the rain or under the scorching tropical sun, with laborers being poorly dressed, barefoot, without a hat, and many times not without the proper protection from chemicals used in agriculture such as: pesticides, fertilizers and others." "Faced with this situation, the government does not show any concern, its only concern is to increase this type of slavery and to make it each time more productive, without taking into account the human price being paid. Obviously, the businesses and institutions that use these services make large sums of money at hands of the prison units of the Ministry of the Interior." From Guantánamo, Cuba, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre" to the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |
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June 18, 2001 Denouncement: Political Repression against Member of the Pacific Opposition By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 16, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) On this past 13th of June, a member of the pacific opposition, José Antonio Guerra Domínguez, became the victim of police repression, when two agents from this repressive unit stopped him on Los Maceo Street, on the corner of Narciso Lopez. The agent, whose last name was Lemira, verbally offended this member of the opposition threatening him with a beating, without having any reason nor committed any crime. Upon reclaiming his rights as a citizen , he was fined, number 146839, in the amount of 30 pesos. Citing that the "counter-revolutionary elements" are deprived of the rights provided by the revolution. From Guantánamo, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre" to the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |
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June 17, 2001 Delegate of the "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre" in Guantánamo is Detained By Eduardo Alberto Quintana Arbois June 16, 2001 At 8:30 am, on the morning of June 15th, a member of the pacific opposition, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, was detained on 2nd Street West, on the corner Avenue by two officials from the State Security, they said their names were Lamorud and the other was Major Carballo. The reason for the detention, according to the State Security, was because of Ferdinando's attitude the past 13th of June in the car which he was travelling. They also said that they were tired of Ferdinando's manifestations against the revolution, for which he had been handed a letter of warning, the 4th within three months. He was held in jail until 9:00 am today when he was released. The wife of this member of the opposition went to the Department of Operations of the State Security wherein she inquired as to her husband's whereabouts. The response was that the "counter-revolutionary" was not there, therefore denying that the pacific member of the opposition was indeed in the cell of this department. From Guantánamo, Cuba, Eduardo Alberto Quintana Arbois, Secretary of Public and Religious Relations of "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre Frank País" to the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |
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June 17, 2001 Denouncement: Member of the pacific opposition is detained upon his return to Guantanamo from La Habana By Eduardo Alberto Quintana Arbois June 16, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, a member of the pacific opposition, while traveling in a car from the City of La Habana with other passengers including an official of the State Security by the name of Ezequiel who resides in Tia Arriba, Municipality of La Maya, Province of Santiago de Cuba, was removed from the car and detained. The detention took place June 13, 2001, in the in the town of Yerba de Guinea, Municipality of La Maya. The official from the State Security used obscene words to address this member of the opposition, because he was publicly denouncing from inside the car the fact that the regime pays high salaries to members of that repressive unit; a salary three times higher than that of a doctor. The support received by Castro de Lardiller from the other passangers of the car, angered the official, whom also fined this pacific member of the opposition for allegedly inciting public disorder. From Guantánamo, Cuba, Eduardo Alberto Quintana Arbois, Secretary of Public and Religious Relations of the "Partido Democrático 30 de Noviembre Frank País" to the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami. |
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June 12, 2001 Castro’s new Facade Sally Grooms Cowal and the Cuba Policy Foundation are not to be trusted! By Mario Ramirez A new group called the Cuba Policy Foundation (CPF) has been created in Washington D.C. The main goal of the Cuba Policy Foundation is to create a lobby to lift the American sanctions on the Communist dictatorship of Fidel Castro. The CPF also hopes to undermine the work being done by many pro democracy groups whether inside or outside Cuba which hope to bring civil society to the island. Although the CPF says that it’s a "centrist" or "non-ideological" group not concerned with the actions of the either right or left regarding Cuba, one can’t help but examine the group’s benefactors, leader, and impetus to exist. Upon finding out more info on the CPF a pattern soon forms, and one realizes that this "advocacyquot; group is not neutral, and that it’s hiding behind an agenda more slanted towards helping Havana then actually bringing democracy to Cuba. In April, the "neutralityquot; of the CPF was questioned when it was honored by the officialist propaganda organ of the Castro dictatorship, Radio Havana. Radio Havana in its report ended up praising Grooms Cowal's efforts in starting the Cuba Policy Foundation by stating the following: "The Cuba Policy Foundation has challenged the ultra-right-wing Cuban-American National Foundation to a public debate concerning the merits of Washington's blockade of Cuba,." Let the facts speak for themselves: The Cuba Policy Foundation is headed by Ambassador Sally Grooms Cowal, who acts as its president. If you can remember back to the Elian Gonzalez debacle, Sally Grooms Cowal was the individual whose other group, Youth for Friendship, "hosted" the Cuban boy in the Rosedale mansion after he was taken by Janet Reno’s agents in Miami. The Rosedale compound, which is in Maryland, is owned and operated by Youth for Friendship. Additionally, Grooms Cowal was a former deputy assistant secretary of state for inter-American affairs under President George Bush in the late 1980s. She has also served as ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. The CPF is bankrolled by the Arca Foundation. For those of you who don’t know about the Arca foundation, it passes itself off as a philanthropic organization that gives millions of dollars annually to organizations that fight for social justice around the world. Unfortunately a grand majority of these organizations are of a far leftist nature, like in 1998 when it gave $1,000 to an obscure contingent called "Fondo Del Sol" which helped surviving members of the Stalinist Abraham Lincoln Brigade view a photo exhibit on the Spanish Civil War! Among the pro Castro groups Arca has funded, have been the Pastors for Peace ($10,000 in 1999), Global Exchange ($50,000 in 1999), and the TransAfrica Forum ($100,000). Communist Cuba is the main focus of Arca’s FOREIGN POLICY grants list, and although it gives money to other international and domestic institutions, it annually gives a substantial amount of funds to causes dealing with communist Cuba. In 1999 alone, the Arca Foundation gave to over 19 organizations that are sympathetic to revolutionary Cuba. The Arca Foundation’s records denote that it has spent over $3 million dollars since 1995 devoted to institutions that ignore human rights in Cuba, but fight aggressively to drop US sanctions to the rouge nation. The Arca Foundation which is run by the R.J. Reynolds tobacco heir Smith Bagley, has silently worked in the background with institutions and Castro sympathetic Democratic politicians working to end economic sanctions against the dictatorship. "Smith Bagley and the Arca Foundation is the pro-Castro lobby's sugar daddy," says Jose Cardenas, Washington spokesman for the Cuban American National Foundation. "Arca is a walkup window for free checks passed out to any and all comers with an ideological ax to grind against U.S. policy on Cuba." For the record, Smith Bagley was the individual who threw a party at his mansion where Elian Gonzalez was the guest of honor after the boy was accosted from the home of his Miami relatives. During this party, agents of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington DC provided delicacies like smoked salmon, shrimp and fruit that although taken for granted here in the United States, are unavailable to most of the Cuban population back on the island. Yet, Bagley who is a tremendously rich WASP sees no problem in giving money to organizations that help the Cuban revolution while the rest of the island population goes poor, hungry and oppressed. According to a 1998 report by journalist Pablo Alfonso of the Miami Herald, Arca has given money to the following other pro Castro causes:
It’s no surprise that none of the organizations listed on Arca’s Cuba list are supportive of pro democracy dissidents fighting for human rights inside of Cuba. The new Cuba Policy Foundation is no exception. After important US law makers proposed the "Solidaridad Act of 2001", which would bring $25 million in food, medicine, office, and educational equipment for independent journalists, dissidents and non governmental organizations inside of Cuba, CPF boss Grooms Cowal cynically said the following of the Solidaridad Act in a March 28, 2001 Washington Post article: "We have been promoting dissidents (In Cuba) for 40 years without measurable results," Not only is the above statement an ignorant one, but it lacks sensitivity and compassion for the thousands of dissidents that have been unlawfully discriminated, jailed, and even killed for daring the Cuban dictatorship to respect the most basic human rights like freedom of speech, religion, and the right to hold multi party elections. Grooms Cowal either fails to understand, or ignores the fact that in Cuba there exists an advanced police/security apparatus modeled after the former KGB and East German Statsi. Cuban state security along with the Gestapo-like Comité de Defensa de la Revolución (CDR), neighborhood watch groups, and non Cuban ultra Stalinist, pro communist sympathizers like Venceremos Brigade, Global Exchange, International Action Center, and Pastors for Peace, have contributed greatly to spreading propaganda and helping the Cuban dictatorship in the repression of the Cuban people. It’s no surprise that some of the non Cuban communist groups mentioned have been funded by none other than the Arca Foundation. Grooms Cowal says she was inspired to form the Cuba Policy Foundation because of a report by the Council on Foreign Relations, which made arguments for lifting the embargo. The Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) recently made a trip to Cuba where CFR notables like David Rockefeller cavorted and only had good words to say about Fidel Castro and the island’s alleged free health care and educational systems. It’s also important to point out that the "globalist" "New World Order" types at CFR have received over $150,000 from the Arca Foundation to carry on its Cuba related projects since 1998. Is it no coincidence when William Rogers, an organizer of a CFR task force to Cuba last year has been named chairman of the new Cuba Policy Foundation? In retrospect it is doubtful that the Cuba Policy Foundation will offer anything we haven’t heard before regarding Cuba. Since it is being funded by Arca, it doesn’t matter how much neutrality it alludes to – unfortunately when it comes to Cuba there is no center – you are either for a democratic change on the island, or you are a supporter of the Western Hemisphere’s longest running dictatorship. Finally Grooms Cowal gives herself away too easily, seemingly to be more interested in making a profit for Americans on the island rather then helping the actual Cuban people overcome their hardships. At times, Grooms Cowal seems to have a wishy-washy attitude, not knowing what to say, as is evident in the following quotes: March 28 /PRNewswire report. "Our businesses, cities and ports are losing millions of dollars every year because of the embargo ... No one can objectively dispute that the embargo has hurt American businesses." On an April 2, 2001 report by the Cybercast News Service, Grooms Cowal stated the following contradicting herself: "There's a real need for a new centrist group, not left-leaning activists, and not just business interests," In a Washington Times report that appeared on April 5, 2001, Cowal said the CPF will argue that Americans are losing millions of dollars in trade by maintaining an ineffective embargo on Cuba. The bottom line is – the CPF is funded by the Castro friendly Arca Foundation, Grooms Cowal housed Elian after he was taken by Janet Reno’s storm troopers, and she seems to be more concerned with Americans making a buck or two in Cuba, thus propping up the dictatorship a little longer. Sally Grooms Cowal and her new Cuba Policy Foundation is not to be trusted. Message to Grooms Cowal: Don’t put profits ahead of human rights in Cuba – we are on to you Sally! |
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June 11, 2001 More than 7000 Young People are Without School and Work by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 8, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) On June 5, 2001, in an interview on CMKC radio station in Guantánamo, Mr. Walter Urgellés, Director of the work management and social security in this province, expressed, that as of this time it has been confirmed that there are 7,742 young people that are not attending school nor work, back in March they began a school registration campaign, offering students money compensation for school attendance, as a means to cover the big necesity of elementary school teachers they have in the region. He also added, that a stipend of 100 pesos would be given to students for their assistance in the classrooms. We should point out that the average salary of a Cuban worker is 250 pesos, which is equivalent to $12 per month. This is bearly enough to eat, and these young people need, in addition, they need a "presentable" change of clothing to attend school, which they cannot obtain with their parents' salary. This is why they abandon the studies to find ways of making money. Many of them destroy their lives in search of easy money, ending up in prison. Who fault is it? From Guantánamo, Cuba, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of the Democratic Party November 30, “Delegado del Partido Democratico Noviembre 30”. Received via telephone by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, June 7, 2001. |
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June 11, 2001 Police try to tarnish the image of political prisoner http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y01/jun01/06a1.htm SANTIAGO DE CUBA, June 5 (Luis Alberto Rivera, APLO) - Surprisingly, a group of officials from the Ministry of the Interior went to the grave of the prisoner of conscience, Marcelo Diosdado Amelo Rodriguez, where they placed a large floral wreath in memory of the deceased, they observed a minute of silence, and then left, but not without first having told the grave workers that they could not tell anyone about what they had just seen or heard, as revealed to the APLO by a reliable source that worked in Santa Efigenia cemetery in this City. On the wreath, with gold ribbon tied to it, which I witnessed myself, could clearly be read: "To Taino, from his brothers of the Department of State Security." After this, as was expected, the residents of Santiago de Cuba spoke of what took place in Santa Efigenia. People whom the day before were dismayed by the abuse at the hands of the Department of State Security, of the National Revolutionary Police and Rapid Response Brigades against the dissidents that took part in the funeral of Amelo Rodriguez, now whispered that "the deceased was an agent of the Department of State Security." To clarify this situation, we interviewed family members of the recently deceased prisoner of conscience. "The Department of State Security staged this to create a sense of confusion in town, because Marcelito has many followers. He always demonstrated being an oppositionist to the Fidel Castro's regime, he wanted democracy for Cuba, in all of our visits that we had in prison he would tell me that we should stay firm in the cause for freedom", stated the mother of Amelo Rodriguez, Mrs. Nelsa Rodriguez, and her words were cut off by her weeping. I asked her if she wanted to stop the interview and she nodded her head that she did not. Her voice cracking because of her crying, Nelsa Rodriguez affirmed: "My son did not die in the way the Department of State Security says, he was killed because of his ideals!" Lora Gaquin, the widow of Amelo Rodriguez said: "This is nothing short of a manipulation to discredit my husband and the opposition of Santiago de Cuba. If my husband had been with the Department of State Security. I assure you that they would not have let him die, my children would not have gone through so much hunger and would not have done without so many necessities from the time my husband was arrested!" Lora Gaquin continued her declaration: "A few days before dying, my husband told me that the officials of the interior in the prison of Aguadores abused him, taking advantage of his horrible state of health. He especially spoke to me about an officer named Raul Zayas, that would distribute the food tray, with the little amount of food that prisoners are given, and would tell him 'you have one minute to eat.' Do you think they would do that to an officer of the Department of State Security?" There are new rumors about an American flag placed on Amelo Rodriguez' headstone in Santa Efigenia by local dissidents. "That is a lie! It is another provocation by the political police to justify future violent actions against the opposition in Santiago de Cuba", refuted Mrs. Nelsa Rodriguez. "If my son were an agent of the Department of State Security and they let him die, then, they are assassinating their own!", added Amelo Rodriguez' mother. His widow added: "In all of the visits Marcelo complained that they would not give him the medication required for the treatment of his ailment, not even the medications I handed to the Department of State Security officials that are supposed to be taking care of him. I received those medicines which where donated by people in Mexico and Germany. When I went to pick up my husband's belongings after his death they returned a package to me containing those medicines that had not been touched. They never gave them to him". Nelsa Rodriguez stated that her husband was almost always confined to punishment cells. One of the daughters of this prisoner of conscience , Marilin Amelo Toledo, 28 years old, also wanted to talk about her father. "During the visits in prison, he would say to me repeatedly: 'The political police believes in the system of divide and you'll conquer, so always maintain yourselves united'. He used to tell me that over and over again. I do not belong to any dissident group, but I think that the purpose of the floral wreath from the Ministry of the Interior placed in the cemetery of Santa Efigenia is to erase the image of my father and his ideals of democracy for Cuba", stated the young lady. Marilin did not hold back: "I was present one day when the Lieutenant-Colonel Emilio Pérez from the Department of State Security told my father: 'Because I feel like it (in grotesque Spanish it is literally translated because of my balls/testicles) you will not get out of prison'. And sure enough... my father did not leave prison, he kept his word". The young lady broke down crying and walked away. Then she stopped, turned around and said: "I am prepared to declare in any forum what I just finished telling you because I was present on that day". Marcelo Diosdado Amelo Rodriguez' daughter has a physical resemblance to him. I could still hear her crying in another room. The words get stuck in my throat. I do not know how to say good-bye to this family that is suffering. I limit myself to saying thank you for the interview and I left their house with one persistent question: How do I write, how do I communicate to the readers of CubaNet of the pain of this family from Santiago de Cuba? How do I explain to them that a rumor, started by the political police, is capable of torturing the psyches of those that survived this prisoner of conscience whom died recently? This information was transmitted by telephone, being that the government of Cuba does not allow Cuban citizens private access to the internet. |
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June 11, 2001 Abuse of Authority and Power by Railway Police by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 7th, 2001 At 9:45 am today June 7th, police Angel Ortiz, with tag #0595 who guards the train route from Guantanamo to the border of the Municipality of Caimanera, imposed fine #089971 on the young man José Jorge Cruz Parcelay who defends students' human rights, whom said police refused to allow to board the train, because of an authoritative whim. All of the passengers on the train came to his defense, an act that served only to anger the police more, and subsequently gave an unjustified fine to José Jorge. This is how human rights are respected in Cuba. From Guantánamo, Cuba, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of the Democratic Party November 30, “Delegado del Partido Democratico Noviembre 30”. Received via telephone by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, June 7, 2001. |
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June 10, 2001 Denouncement: The Mined Border of Guantanamo Continues to Claim Victims by Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 7th, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) On this occasion June 5, 2001, a young military man, 19 years old, born in Santiago de Cuba, in an attempt to reach the US Naval Base in Guantanamo, Cuba, stepped on a land mine and upon its explosion it ripped off both of this young man's legs and his testicles. As of this time, 4:30 pm, today June 7th, the young man is in the intensive care unit of the Provincial Hospital of Guantanamo. The government of Cuba accuses the United States of the genocide occuring on the border with Mexico. Then who should be accused of the genocide occurring on the boarder of Guantanamo and the Naval Base? For who are those mines intended? Because in the past 42 years the only victims of these land mines are Cubans. From Guantánamo, Cuba, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of the Democratic Party November 30, “Delegado del Partido Democratico Noviembre 30”. Received via telephone by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, June 7, 2001. |
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June 07, 2001 Marcelo Diosdado killed on Castro's orders By Gerard Jackson, The New Australian Marcelo Diosdado, a prominent Cuban dissident is dead, killed on Castro’s orders. The regime claims that Diosdado died from a heart attack brought on by severe circulatory problems. Although it is true that technically speaking it was heart failure that killed Diosdado, it’s equally true that Castro ordered that he be denied medical care until he died. And die he did. Details of his death describe a horrific picture of suffering. Regardless of what Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Charley Rangel, Barbara Boxer, and so many other creepy apologists for Castro’s sadism would have you believe he has turned Cuba into a totalitarian dungeon. Unlike Hollywood’s celluloid intellectuals and Washington’s so-called liberals, Marcelo Diosdado not only believed in liberty he endured terrible suffering and finally death to defend it. As a dedicated enemy of Castro’s communist tyranny he was arrested, beaten tortured and murdered in Aguaderos prison in the province of Santiago de Cuba. To Castro’s embarrassment Diosdado’s funeral turned into a pro-democracy demonstration. People were inspired to chant, "Down with Fidel! Freedom!" Castro responded by unleashing his goon squads against the mourners. At the end of the day another martyr in the cause of Cuban liberty lay in his grave. This is another Castro atrocity that the mainstream media has largely suppressed in America and totally suppressed in Australia. Most of our journalist [in Australia] have no sense of shame, no love of liberty and certainly no respect for the truth. |
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June 06, 2001 Montes de Oca’s Trial Postponed for the Third Time June 1st, 2001 In phone conversation between Luis Osvaldo Manzaneira Cúcalo, of the Center of Information for Democracy "Centro de Información Sobre Democrácia", in Havana, Cuba, and Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Cúcalo stated: Martha, the lack of respect of these so called gentlemen in regards to Mr. Montes de Oca’s case is such, that this it is the third time that they suspend the trial. Montes de Oca's family lives in Las Villas, they have to be transported 282 kilometers to come to the city of Havana, to be able to attend the trial. His mother is very old and quite sick. On the other hand, we can also tell you that Montes de Oca informed Esther Valdés Germán that at the present time he has tremendous abdominal pains due to gastritis and that for the last seven days he has not ingested any foods. He is not receiving the medical attention his condition requires”, the reporter said. René Montes de Oca Martija, General Secretary of the Pro Human Rights Party of Cuba (Spanish AcronymPPDHC) "Partido Pro Derechos Humanos de Cuba", affiliated to the Foundation Andrei Sajarov, was captured by the political police around six in the afternoon of May 8th of this year, after having escaped on April 20th, of a jail anexed to the prison of Canaleta, which they call ‘the bachi plan'. I also want to point out that in the short time that he remained a fugitive, Montes de Oca reiterated time and time again in his communications with the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, that the only reason for his escape was to request from those outside of Cuba in the free world to do everything in their power to get his son, René Josvany Montes de Oca Rodríguez out of Cuba so that he can receive the medical attention he needs and that is being denied in Cuba because he is the son of a fighter for human rights. Also, for the above reasons, 12 years old Rene Josvany, has received several beatings at the hands of boys which have been instigated by the political police. |
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June 05, 2001 Denouncement: Massive Poisoning in the Guantanamo School of Medicine By Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller June 3rd, 2001 (GUANTANAMO, CUBA) Last Monday, the 28th of May, a massive case of what is believed to be food poisoning took place in the School of Medicine of Guantánamo. At first it was thought to have been the fish, but laboratory tests determined that the fish was not cause of the food poisoning. As of now, approximately 180 students from said school have been treated at the provincial hospital of Guantánamo. Some are in critical condition, and three students are in the intensive care unit. The germ which caused this massive poisoning is still undetermined. From Guantánamo, Cuba, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate of the Democratic Party November 30, “Delegado del Partido Democratico Noviembre 30”. Received via telephone by Martha Tamargo of the Information Bridge Cuba-Miami, Miami, Florida, June 1, 2001. |
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June 04, 2001 Report from CubDest. Denouncement to Organization of American States (OAS) of the Case of Girl being Held in Communist Cuba (Translation from Spanish) SAN JOSÉ DE COSTA RICA, Jun. 3, 2001 (CubDest) - "The case of the 11 year old girl, Sandra Becerra Jova, whom the regime of La Habana does not allow to leave Cuba to reunite with her parents, residents of Brazil, literally constitutes kidnapping of a minor", denounced the exiled Cuban jurist Dr. Claudio Benedi Beruff, director of the "Junta Patriótica Cubana" (Patriotic Cuban Assembly), in a public statement made to the participating chancellors of the XXXI General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which is being held in this capitol. The little girl, Sandra, is the daughter of Cuban engineers, Vicente Becerra and Zaida Jova, both of whom are 38 years old, and are completing their postgraduate studies in the University of Campinas, 100 km. from the City of São Paulo. The married couple decided to stay permanently in Brazil after the birth of a new son, Daniel, who is now 3 years old, which automatically gave the entire family residency status in Brazil. Sandra's parents decided to go public with the case of their daughter being held after 4 years of unsuccessful and humiliating dealings with the Castro regime. This case has been given coverage on well known means of media in Brazil and was taken to the Brazilian chancellor last April, a dispatch was sent to formally inform the Cuban chancellor in the hopes of officially interceding so that Sandra could be reunited with her parents and brother. The negative response from La Habana is increasing the annoyance in Brazil. Last week, the Municipal Assembly of Campinas asked the Brazilian chancellor to firmly renew his reclamation to "shorten the suffering of the family and to achieve the liberation of Sandra", in accordance with her parents' wishes. It has now come to light that there are several other married Cuban couples in the universities, studying in Brazil, that are going through a similar situation, but until now they have kept silent out of fear of reprisals against their children that remain in Cuba. In a declaration made to the Brazilian press the engineer, Zaida Jova, mother of Sandra, stated that the same regime from La Habana that organized the massive mobilization of people to demand the return of the boy, Elián González, to Cuba, in the name of "family reunification", is the one that "cruelly maintains me separated from daughter for the past four years". In San José de Costa Rica, Dr. Claudio Benedí has also requested that the Interamerican Commission of Human Rights take a stand on this issue, to denounce before the world this injustice, which is simply another example of the "instituted violation of human rights" enforced by Cuban communism over the defenseless population. |