A Miami Herald story published this morning offers some of the current thoughts of leading Cuban dissident and forper prisoner of conscience Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet.
On negotiating with the Castro dictatorship:
“If the regime were willing to have talks, we have demands. ... We want Raúl and Fidel Castro to resign because they have drowned the country in misery, political assassinations and persecution. Let them assign other people to represent their interests and let us begin a transition toward freedoms for the Cuban people."
On his refusal and that of a dozen other former political prisoners to leave Cuba as a condition of their release:
“The fact that a group is not willing to leave the country is a way to show the world that our fight is about love of our country and dignity for human beings. ... It seems to me that this favors the Cuban people’s cause."
On former U.S. president Jimmy Carter's recent meeting with him and other Cuban dissidents:
“We made it clear to Carter that a dictatorship rules Cuba and that no sovereignty exists. ... “We were able to communicate some things, a brief synthesis of our thoughts."
On possible changes in the Cuban economic system:
“We want comprehensive changes and a market system associated to freedoms and things that lead to a harmonious and happy life in our nation."
On how the dictatorship tries to discredit its opposition:
"It benefits the government to have corrupt people because with such characteristics they will not fight against them, and that is why they are allowed to exist. ... And when they feel threatened that a new leader could emerge within their party or among those who govern with them, they attribute acts of corruption to them so they would not have any followers."
On Cuban youth:
"The Cuban youth does not believe in the system, and the spirit they are developing is not afraid of the government’s pressure. The fear the Castros wish to impose is not going to stop the wishes of the youth of pursuing the general welfare, including the economic and psychological perspectives. ... The youths will create their own space to accomplish their objectives."
On Cuban independent journalists and bloggers:
"They are giving the world different perspectives and ideas. ... And when these emerge everything else finds its place. This is very important for us because, associated to the state terrorist activities, the government wants to control all the information to continue deceiving the population.”
On U.S. John Kerry's move to block funding for democracy promotion in Cuba:
"Kerry must know that resources are needed for this type of fight and he knows very well that Cubans in the island do not have those resources. ... If we are able to resist it’s because of our high morale not because we have resources. Here we have to depend on people’s mercy to survive.”
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