[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15360]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                FREEDOM FOR HECTOR RAUL VALLE HERNANDEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 30, 2005

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
speak about Hector Raul Valle Hernandez, a political prisoner in 
totalitarian Cuba.
  Mr. Valle Hernandez is a pro-democracy leader, the vice president of 
the Confederation of Democratic Workers of Cuba and an activist in the 
Pro Human Rights Party. According to Amnesty International, on November 
16, 2002, he was interrogated by Castor's thugs and told to stop his 
activities against the totalitarian regime. Despite the constant 
harassment, violence, and repression directed at him by the tyrant, Mr. 
Valle Hernandez continued to advocate for human rights and democracy.
  In March 2003, as part of Castro's condemnable crackdown on peaceful 
pro-democracy activists, he was arrested. In a sham trial, he was 
sentenced to 12 years in the totalitarian gulag.
  Mr. Valle Hernandez is currently languishing in the abhorrent gulag 
because of his belief in liberty for the Cuban people. According to 
Amnesty International, Mr. Valle Hernandez' family has been harassed 
and his wife has been ``summoned'' for taking part in opposition 
activities. Let me be very clear, Mr. Valle Hernandez is locked in a 
totalitarian dungeon that the U.S. State Department describes as, 
``harsh and life threatening.'' His wife and family are harassed and 
threatened, yet Mr. Valle Hernandez and his family have not stopped 
demanding human rights, labor rights, and freedom for the people of 
Cuba.
  Mr. Valle Hernandez is a wonderful example of the heroism of the 
Cuban people. No matter how intense the repression, no matter how 
horrifically brutal the consequences of a dignified struggle for 
liberty, no matter how often their families are harassed and 
threatened, the totalitarian gulags are full of men and women of all 
backgrounds and ages who represent the best of the Cuban nation.
  Mr. Speaker, it is as inconceivable as it is unacceptable that, while 
the world stands by in silence and acquiescence, political prisoners 
are systematically tortured because of their belief in freedom, 
democracy, human rights and the rule of law. My Colleagues, we must 
demand the immediate and unconditional release of Hector Raul Valle 
Hernandez and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

                          ____________________