Fariñas: It will be 'an honor' if his protest ends with death

Guillermo Fariñas

Guillermo Fariñas, on hunger strike since Feb. 24, knows he is dying.

But tonight he is still fighting, still holding the Castro dictatorship responsible for what is happening to him and more importantly, to prisoners of conscience and other political prisoners in the Castro gulag.

"I am conscious of my nearing death and I consider it an honor because I am trying to save the lives of 25 political prisoners and (prisoners) of conscience that the homeland needs as leaders," Fariñas said in a statement posted on the Internet, according to Reuters.

Fariñas was responding to a weekend article in Granma, the communist party's daily rag, in which a doctor describes how everything possible was being done to save Fariñas' life. While praising his doctors, Fariñas dismissed the article, which fails to describe why  Fariñas is on hunger strike, as an attempt by the regime to defend itself if he dies.

"The only ones responsible for my future death are the brothers Fidel and Raul Castro."

"I want to die in my homeland under the noses of the dictators who possess pistols, rifles, cannons and bombs," Fariñas said.

Fariñas' protest may end with his death, but it does not mean his has been a futile gesture.

More in the world know his name, and more importantly, more in the world are aware of his cause.

His sacrifice, more than diplomatic dealings between the Vatican and the dictator or between the dictator and Spain, is largely responsible for any progress that has been made in recent months towards the possible release of a large number of political prisoners.

With his sacrifice, and that of other brave Cubans on the island, Fariñas has forced the dictatorship to recognize that the status quo, the continued imprisonment of a large number of political prisoners is no longer tenable.

For its sake, the dictatorship would be best to respond to Fariñas' demands before it is too late to save his life because as he said, his blood will be on their hands.

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To read Fariñas' statement, in Spanish, go here.