[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3216]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF FORMER CUBAN POLITICAL PRISONERS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 25, 1999

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, an organization located in my 
Congressional district, the World Federation of Former Cuban Political 
Prisoners, represents an organized effort of commitment and action of 
former political prisoners of the Castro dictatorship who continue 
their historic struggle against the despotic regime of Fidel Castro.
  As the organization's constitution expresses, the World Federation of 
Former Cuban Political Prisoners finds its historic roots in those 
brave men and women who forged the Cuban nation, and in particular, in 
the ideological leader of Cuban independence, Jose Marti.
  Thousands of Cubans, following Marti's example, have been personal 
witnesses to the horrors of Castro's political prisons because of their 
tireless battle for Cuba's independence, national sovereignty and 
respect for freedom within a democratic political system.
  During the closing session of the XVI Annual Congress of this 
glorious organization, I want my Congressional colleagues to 
acknowledge with admiration and respect all former and present Cuban 
political prisoners who have given and continue to give their all for 
the restoration of freedom in Cuba.

                          ____________________