[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 21, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E116-E117]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING DR. LUIS CONTE-AGUERO

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 21, 2009

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize the life and work of Dr. Luis Conte-Aguero who 
has devoted himself to fighting communism in Cuba and spreading 
democracy throughout the entirety of Latin America.
  While Dr. Luis Conte-Aguero is not a native-born American, he has 
served as a shining example of patriotism for all in our community. 
Since his arrival to the U.S. in 1960, he has worked tirelessly for 
freedom and democracy around the globe.
  As a young philosophy student at the University of Havana, Dr. Conte-
Aguero befriended another student named Fidel Castro. However, after 
the fall of President Fulgencio Batista, Castro revealed his true 
intentions for Cuba. Dr. Conte-Aguero vehemently fought Castro in hopes 
of preventing Cuba from becoming a communist state.
  In 1960, Dr. Conte-Aguero was forced to flee Cuba, leaving his home 
and everything that he knew and loved. He took with him nine 
handwritten notes in his pocket which Fidel Castro wrote him while in 
prison in the 1950's. The Prison Letters of Fidel Castro has since 
served as a platform from which Dr. Conte-Aguero could expose the 
atrocities committed by Castro to the world.
  The Prison Letters of Fidel Castro was only the beginning for this 
storied and well celebrated poet whose honors are numerous, 
meritorious, and well-deserved. The Dominican Republic has honored him 
as ``The Highest Voice in America''; in Uruguay, he was selected by 
delegates from 14 nations to be the President of Alliance for Freedom; 
and his contributions to the Dominican Republic and its quest for 
freedom were recognized by the country's armed forces in 1965 when he 
was awarded the title of ``Continental Leader and Standard Bearer of 
Democracy in America.''
  I pray that many more in America and around the world will choose to 
follow the example of Dr. Luis Conte-Aguero. It is a blessing that the 
elegance of his pen will preserve

[[Page E117]]

his legacy for future generations so that they may also choose to 
expose the crimes of tyrants and fight for the freedom of all people.
  Thank you, Dr. Conte-Aguero.

                          ____________________