Former Cuban prisoner of conscience Oscar Espinosa Chepe has been hospitalized in Madrid in "very serious" condition, suffering from a severe liver ailment.
Espinosa, an economist was one of the Group of 75 independent journalists, librarians, human rights and democracy activists and others arrested and imprisoned during the "black spring" of March-April 2003. He was released from prison in November 2004 because of poor health.
Madrid, Aug 21 (EFE).- Cuban opposition figure Oscar Espinosa Chepe is in "very serious" condition due to a severe and chronic liver ailment, his wife, Mirian Leiva, told Efe in this capital on Wednesday.
Espinosa Chepe, a 72-year-old former political prisoner, has been in Madrid since March 12 to be treated for his illness, thanks to the efforts of the Spanish Embassy in Havana.
The day after his arrival he was admitted to the Puerta de Hierro Hospital and since then he has been readmitted on a number of occasions, most recently just last week.
"At this time, he's in a very serious crisis since the complications he is suffering in his biliary system have not improved," his wife told Efe.
Leiva said the couple had refused to leave Cuba in 2010, when many dissidents did so, but they agreed to travel to Spain in 2013 because of her husband's worsening health situation and "under the condition of (being allowed) to return" to the communist-ruled island.
Espinosa Chepe, an economist by profession, was sentenced to 20 years in prison during Cuba's 2003 "Black Spring" crackdown on dissidents but he was released in November 2004 for health reasons.
After his release, he devoted himself to writing articles and performing analysis on Cuba's economic and political-social situation, and much of his work has been published in different newspapers and magazines around the world.
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