[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H5550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       DON'T BE FOOLED BY RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS BY CUBA

  (Mr. QUIGLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we cannot be fooled by 
the Castro regime's announcement to release 52 political prisoners. 
That would be 52 out of approximately 5,000.
  The release of these prisoners, held only because they disagree with 
the government, would be good news if they were actually being 
released, but only five to 10 prisoners will be released immediately. 
The rest will be let go over the next three to four months. Why does it 
take months to release a group of prisoners when it only took one night 
to arrest them? We cannot be fooled.
  The Castro regime has released prisoners many times before in 
exchange for lesser sanctions, but these temporary releases never 
result in permanent reforms.
  The regime is unilaterally releasing 52 prisoners, but what is to 
keep them from simply arresting hundreds more? We cannot be fooled. And 
above all, we cannot alter our sanctions or policies towards Cuba based 
on this one superficial gesture.

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