The impending release of Cuban prisoner of conscience Diosdado González Marrero is a tribute to the courage and commitment of both the prisoner and of his wife Alejandrina García, who since the day almost eight years ago he was arrested has steadfastly remained his most forceful advocate.
González — one of the first political prisoners this blog profiled — insisted he would remain in Cuba, even if it meant staying in prison for months beyond his expected release. And his wife steadfastly remained his most forceful advocate, most recently even going on a hunger strike to demand her husband's freedom.
The release of Cuba political prisoners since last summer, when a much ballyhooed deal between Spain, the Catholic Church and Cuba was announced, has not been a harbinger of greater change in Cuba. The repression is as stifling and horrific as ever, as we saw this past week on the first anniversary of what helped sparked that deal — the death of González's fellow prisoner of conscience, Orlando Zapata Tamayo.
But if only for tonight, that does not matter for Diosdado, Alejandrina and the rest of their family.
In their personal struggle against tyranny, they have won.
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Eight other political prisoners will also be released and deported to Spain, according to the Catholic Church in Havana.
AFP identified them as:
- Osvaldo Gonzalez
- Jose Miguel Fernandez
- Enrique Martinez
- Jose Rodriguez
- Carlos Martin
- Ernesto Duran
- Gilberto Martinez
- Mario Alberto Perez
A footnote: Perez is the brother-in-law of one of Cuba's most forceful human rights activists, Jorge Luís García "Antúnez," himself a former political prisoner.
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