[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25812]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               FREEDOM FOR JOSE ENRIQUE SANTANA CARREIRA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 10, 2005

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
speak about Jose Enrique Santana Carreira, a political prisoner in 
totalitarian Cuba.
  Mr. Santana Carreira is the national coordinator of the Democratic 
Party November 30 and a member of the pro-democracy opposition. 
Unfortunately, those who believe in truth are targeted by the tyrant's 
machinery of repression. According to an article for the Information 
Bridge Cuba Miami, on February 28, 2002, Mr. Santana Carreira was 
arrested for simply participating in a civic activity at the Catholic 
Church of the Passionists. More than 2 years later, in a sham trial, 
Mr. Santana Carreira was sentenced to 4 years in the totalitarian 
gulag.
  In a letter to his mother that was translated and published at 
punteinfocubamiami.org, Mr. Santana Carreira describes the horrible 
conditions in the gulag to his mother:

       For my mother:
       With lots of love is that I write you this missive which I 
     know is going to hurt you, but it is hurting me already, 
     since they have beaten me and I could not get up . . . they 
     have beaten me with no Humanity whatsoever. . . .
       My dearest mother, I am resolved to take this until the 
     maximum consequences if they already have beaten me, this 
     will not stop, the only thing that I want is for all to know 
     of the abuses that we are being subjected to and to receive 
     the necessary support from all the people so that all these 
     abuses end and all the World learns about the cruelties 
     committed against those who fight peacefully with their 
     reason and their right. . . .
       Take care my viejita, I am very ill, suffering with all 
     this, but I am willing to die for the reason that assists me 
     in this our pacific fight.
       I love you a lot. Jose Enrique Santana Carreira

  Mr. Santana Carreira represents the very best of the Cuban people: No 
matter how intense the beatings, no matter how remorseless the 
repression, no matter how inhumane the conditions, he will never relent 
in his belief that the men and women of Cuba should be and will be 
free.
  Mr. Speaker, it is as inconceivable as it is unacceptable that, in 
the 21st century and only 90 miles from our shore, brave men and women 
are locked in grotesque dungeons because they believe that all people 
have basic human rights. It is a profound embarrassment for mankind 
that the world stands by in silence and acquiescence while 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 Jose Enrique 
Santana Carreira and every political prisoner in totalitarian Cuba.

                          ____________________