[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 49 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING MS. YRIS TAMARA PEREZ AGUILERA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2014

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Women's History month 
I rise today to honor Yris Tamara Perez Aguilera, an outstanding 
individual and someone who has been an inspiration to the Cuban 
community.
   Ms. Aguilera was born in Cuba, and joined the Pedro Luis Boitel 
National Civic Resistance Movement in 1999. This organization was 
formed by families of Cuban political prisoners to fight for their 
freedom. Ms. Aguilera's brother, Mario Perez Aguilera, was a political 
prisoner at that moment.
   In 2009, Ms. Aguilera helped found the Rosa Parks Feminine Civic 
Rights Movement, and is currently the leader of the group. This 
movement carries out weekly public demonstrations in different 
provinces of Cuba to pray for the martyrs of the Cuban dictatorship. 
The movement also performs humanitarian campaigns to help homeless 
women and children. Through Ms. Aguilera's endless efforts, tenacity, 
and spirit the movement is able to find these homeless people food and 
shelter, despite resistance from Cuban authorities.
   During the public demonstrations of the group, Ms. Aguilera and 
other members of the Rosa Parks Movement have been brutally beaten and 
have suffered from arbitrary detentions and even death threats by the 
Castro regime. Ms. Aguilera herself has been threatened with sexual 
assault in Santa Clara by State Security agents. Ms. Aguilera has 
participated in conferences and meetings around the world in order to 
denounce human rights abuses on the island, and continues to work 
tirelessly for the freedom of its citizens.
   Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Ms. Yris Tamara Perez 
Aguilera for her continued efforts against the regime in Cuba, and I 
ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this remarkable individual.

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