[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 45 (Friday, April 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FREEDOM FOR ALFREDO FELIPE FUENTES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 14, 2005

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
speak about Alfredo Felipe Fuentes, a political prisoner in 
totalitarian Cuba.
  Mr. Fuentes is a member of the United Cuban Workers Council and an 
independent journalist. According to various reports, he has been an 
active opponent of the dictatorship since 1992. His peaceful, pro-
democracy activities and truthful articles have helped the world to 
learn the facts about the nightmare that is the Castro regime. 
Unfortunately, those who believe in truth are targeted by the tyrant's 
machinery of repression.
  On March 19, 2003, Mr. Fuentes was arrested as part of the 
dictatorship's heinous crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy activists. 
In a sham trial, he was accused of sending reports to Radio Marti about 
opposition demonstrations. For these ``crimes,'' Mr. Fuentes was 
sentenced to 26 years in the totalitarian gulag.
  Let me be very clear, Alfredo Felipe Fuentes is languishing in an 
inhuman gulag because of his belief in truth, freedom and democracy. 
According to reports, he is held in isolation, he is suffering from 
malnutrition and the abhorrent state of his cell. Mr. Fuentes is 
bravely suffering because he believes in freedom for all the men and 
women of Cuba.
  Mr. Speaker, it is morally repugnant that, in the 21st Century, men 
and women are still locked in the dungeons of dictators because of 
their beliefs in freedom and human rights. It is as inconceivable as it 
is unacceptable that, while the world stands by in silence and 
acquiescence, brave men and women are systematically tortured because 
of their belief in democracy and the Rule of Law. My Colleagues, we 
must demand the immediate and unconditional release of Alfredo Felipe 
Fuentes and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

                          ____________________