[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CASTRO'S CRACKDOWN ON DISSIDENTS AND INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS DURING 
                  JANUARY CONGRESSIONAL VISITS TO CUBA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Diaz-Balart] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, last week two Members of this House, a 
gentleman from Massachusetts and a gentleman from New Mexico, went to 
Cuba to meet with Castro. One told the press he was looking for 
flexibility on Castro's part to help him oppose the sanctions bill that 
the Congress is currently pursuing against the Cuban dictatorship. The 
other said he was seeking the release of some fugitives from American 
justice now in Cuba. I will now briefly outline some of the ways in 
which Castro reacted to these congressional visits and treated 
dissidents and independent journalists in Cuba just during these last 
few days.


                               january 14

  Raul Rivero, Cuban poet and president of the independent Cuba Press 
agency, was arrested.
  Juan Antonio Sanchez Rodriguez, another independent reporter, 
arrested in Pinar del Rio.
  Jorge Adrian Ayala Corzo, president of the Democratic Renovation 
Party, was arrested.
  Rafael Solano and Julio Martinez of the independent Havana Press were 
arrested.


                               january 15

  Gladys Linares, Miguel Andres Palenque, Orlando Morejon were 
arrested.
  Bernardo Fuentes, an independent journalist in Camaguey Province, was 
arrested.
  Abel de Jesus Acosta, member of the Pro-Human Rights Party in Villa 
Clara Province, was arrested by State Security Lt. Boris Ruiz, his home 
ransacked and his motorcycle confiscated.
  Jesus Zuniga, of the National Conciliacion Movement, was arrested.
  The parents of Yndamiro Restano, were detained and interrogated for 
over 14 hours. Their son Yndamiro Restano, is the president of the 
Bureau of Independent Cuban Journalists who is out of Cuba on a 
visitor's permit due to a petition made to Castro by Dannielle 
Mitterand. They were told that if the bureau does not cease its work, 
they, as parents of Restano, will be faced with long-term detention and 
their son will be banned from returning.


                               january 16

  The gentleman from Massachusetts arrived in Cuba. That day a meeting 
by the opposition umbrella grouping Concilio Cubano was disrupted in 
Havana by state security agents. Participants including Elizardo 
Sanchez and Marta Beatriz Roque were threatened with arrest.

  Alberto Perera Martinez, vice-president of the Bloque Democratico 
Jose Marti was arrested.
  Lazaro Gonzalez, president of the Pro-Human Rights Party, was 
detained and threatened.


                               January 17

  The gentleman from New Mexico arrived in Cuba.
  Jose Miranda Acosta, a political prisoner in a dungeon known as Kilo 
5\1/2\ in Pinar del Rio was tortured by having water drops fall 
throughout the day and night into his cell. He has been sentenced to 15 
years of confinement, without family visits, due to enemy propaganda. 
As a result of his imprisonment, he is practically blind and suffering 
from extreme malnutrition. Miranda has had his food poisoned in the 
past as punishment for a 72-day hunger strike in 1994, which he carried 
out to try to draw attention to his case.


                               January 18

  Olance Nogueras, vice-president of the Bureau of Independent Cuban 
Reporters, was detained after asking a question at a press conference 
held by the gentleman from Massachusetts in Havana.
  Eugenio Rodriguez Chaple, president of the Democratic Bloc Jose 
Marti, was run off the road and injured by state security while on his 
way to meet with French Embassy officials.
  Leonel Morejon Almagro, Concilio Cubano member, was detained and told 
that his family would suffer serious consequences if he continued to 
participate in Concilio and that the Interior Minister Colome Ibarra 
was giving him his last chance.


                               January 19

  Both Congressmen returned from Cuba.
  That day, Roxana Valdivia, an independent journalist was questioned 
at state security headquarters in Ciego de Avila and threatened with 
exile or prison for disseminating enemy propaganda.
  During the days of the congressional visits, the thousands of Cuban 
prisoners of conscience continued suffering the same savage brutality 
that they continue to suffer to this very moment. Col. Enrique Labrada 
continues to receive electroshock torture at the Mazorra institution 
for the mentally ill. Labrada was sent there after staging a pro-
democracy protest last year. The Reverend Orson Vila remains in prison 
for preaching the word of Christ. A 30-year-old writer, Carmen Arias, 
remains in a dungeon for sending a letter to Castro asking for free 
elections, as do Sergio Aguiar Cruz, Francisco Chaviano, Omar del Pozo, 
and thousands of others.
  Upon his return one Congressman declared that Castro is very 
flexible.
  The other Congressman said that he had gotten Castro to reduce the 
amount of dollars that Castro charges some Cubans who are leaving Cuba, 
and that that constitutes a humanitarian gesture.
  Mr. Speaker, what will it take for the world to help Cuba free itself 
of its tyrant?
  Imagine if this were happening in apartheid South Africa or 
Pinochet's Chile.

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