Uncommon Sense

On hunger strike, Cuban political prisoner El Sexto says his 'farewell'

People around the world are rallying to demand the Castro dictatorship release artist and prisoner of conscience Danilo Maldonado, or "El Sexto." Held without trial since December 2014, El Sexto has been on hunger strike since Sept. 8 to demand his freedom.

Who is El Sexto?

The best answer can be found in a heartbreaking "farewell letter" El Sexto wrote from prison:

Where I am there is little light and I am in my underwear because I do not want to wear the prison uniform. They give me a mattress for 5 or 6 hours at night. I only drink water and there will be no ability to respond (from you to this letter) because they don’t allow contacts.

Thanks to Lia, Gorki, Antonio and everyone for helping my mother manage things. Thanks to Aylín for the beautiful and encouraging letters. I read them as many times as I could, I would like to write you a thousand letters like you deserve but now I do not think I will have the light, the paper, nor the energy to do it.

This may be my last letter from here in the punishment cell and if I survive you will hear more from my lips. So I want to tell everyone that I waited too long for this moment to do a hunger strike, we Cubans have wanted too long to expel these scoundrels.

Now that I have started, I feel my faith, determination and self-esteem go through the roof for having decided. I feel proud of being the artist that I am and of doing the art that I do for the Cuba I represent. So I am willing to give my life a hundred times if necessary.

He who lives without finding out what to die for, has not found the essence of life. A man with ideals of peace, love and one who does not carry a weapon to assert his opinions is the man of the future. Because with his faith, his hope, he builds an Eden here on earth.

Thank you all for trusting me and know that if I die I will die happy to carry with me a tattoo of my time like Laura Pollan, Oswaldo Paya, who left traces of their existence, of their generation, of their responsibility to leave behind then a legacy for their loved ones, one lesson: love what you do and devote your life to it.

I was born in a poor neighborhood, Nuevitas, Camagüey. My family is very humble: I lived in Arroyo Arenas from age 4; in Chafarinas, Guira de Melena; in Covadonga, Las Tunas: a village still without electricity; Guáimaro, Camagüey and Arroyo Arenas, La Lisa. And I was lucky to live in Vedado often, there I have my daughter Renata María, who was born in England.

I am a wanderer and I have gone here and there getting to know my country, my culture, that I love and so I raise my voice to denounce what seems wrong to me. I visited Holland for three months, I lived in The Hague, 45 minutes by train from the fabulous Amsterdam. I studied and lived at Miami Dade College in the United States for three months as well. All these places taught to me relate quickly to my surroundings, that the most important thing is to have friends, to love, to respect and not to do to anyone what we do not want them to do to us. I learned how to stand up to the powerful.

My art is respected today, more than anything because I believe in it. I respected it and gave it—and give it—all my strength, perseverance, affection and love. Although I was misunderstood and perhaps by others I still am, when those around you see so much love and how much you are able to give and how much you respect your art, then they begin to value it. But first we must build an altar of consecration in our chest and others, little by little, will begin to respect you for what you do: this knowledge is my legacy.

Someone said that all of humanity will part when we see a man who knows where he is going. This might be my last work and I have named it “Drawing Attention” or “The Awakening of the Inner Magician.” Each one of us has an inner magician. May my Gothic existence touch your hearts and light your flame and awaken your internal leader, being conscious of this gift of life and standing up against evil. Someone said, “The world is not this way because of those who do evil but because of those who allow it.”

This work is dedicated to my mother, my little daughter Renata María, to all those who support me, all those who added a grain of sand to achieve freedom for Cuba. To all the Ladies in White in the world and especially in Cuba: no more beating of women! To the memory of Laura, Oswaldo, Zapata.

This work is dedicated to my mother, my little daughter Renata María, to all those who support me, all who put in a grain of sand to achieve the freedom of Cuba. To all the Ladies in White of the world especially those in Cuba: no more beating of women! In memory of Laura, Oswaldo, Zapata.

The day I grabbed a spray can in my hand I decided what to do with my life.

So be it.

I am with faith and conviction: Liberty or death, to die for art is to live.

Hugs,

Danilo Maldonado, El Sexto.

 

More than 70 Cuban dissidents arrested on 23rd straight Sunday of repression

More than 70 Cuban activists were arrested Sunday, many at their homes to block them from attending Sunday Mass. It was at least the 23rd straight Sunday of such violent repression across the island of Cuba.

 

Cuba opposition groups report at least 238 arrests during Pope Francis' visit

The toll Pope Francis' visit took on the cause of Cuban freedom became more fully known Wednesday, a day after the Holy Father departed Cuba for the United States.

A Martinoticias.com report summarized the Castro repression that not coincidentally, a) coincided with the pope's visit; and b} coincided with the pope's decision to meet with Cuban dissidents.

In all, there were at least 238 arrests across the island while the pope was in Cuba.

Specifically:

• 70 members of the Damas De Blanco, or "Ladies In White," a group most frequently targeted on Sunday mornings as they march to and/or from Mass on Sunday mornings.
• 26 members of the Anti-Totalitarian Front (FANTU), who were arrested in central Cuba to block them from attending the papal Mass in Havana.
• 142 members of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), one of the largest and more active opposition groups on the island. Most of the arrests were in Santiago province, which hosted the third and final papal Mass on the island.

Other opposition groups, including the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), and Cuba Independent and Democratic (CID) also reported that some of their activists also suffered repression. 

If Granma is telling the truth, Pope Francis ignores 56 years of Cuban history

When considering how best to take Pope Francis' pronouncements on Cuba, it is best to consider him not as the spiritual leader of the world's Roman Catholics but as another chief of state snookered, willingly or otherwise, by the Castro dictatorship into believing it is what it isn't: A legitimate representative of the will of the Cuban people.

That is the only conclusion after reading the Cuban communist party rag, Granma, and its account of the Holy Father's meeting with the decaying Fidel Castro.

It wasn't a direct quote, and it was reported in Granma so it's possible it made the whole thing up. But when the pope didn't make time to meet with dissidents, it sure rings true.

This is what Granma wrote:

 

“During their meeting the Pope thanked comrade Fidel Castro for his contributions to world peace in a world saturated with hate and aggression.“ (Translation by Babalu.)

If a true account of what the pope said, more than 56 years of history makes that laughable. Castro and his regime are responsible for scores of deaths, in Cuba, elsewhere in Latin America and Africa. They've impoverished a once-prosperous nation, and hold onto power only because of their willingness to jam their jackboots on the throats of the Cuban people.

Ignoring that reveals a disturbing view of history.

Ignoring that reveals how wrong Pope Francis is about Cuba.

Cut Pope Francis some slack -- but only if he acknolwedges Cubans' disappointment

Many of the things Pope Francis is doing and not doing in Cuba, like meeting with Fidel Castro but not Cuban dissidents, is because that is what popes do or not do.

As a priest, he has not given up hope and considers possible that even Fidel can be saved. And as a politician playing the long game in Cuba, he doesn't want to offend his hosts and compromise the opportunity he has to speak to all Cubans.

The apparent contradiction is frustrating but understandable. And who knows, maybe he will be vindicated on both counts.

But I hope Pope Francis also understands why, because of stories like this one and photos like the one above, there are many Cubans this week who feel betrayed.

Follow Pope Francis' visit to Cuba here

Here are some Twitter feeds you might to follow as Pope Francis visits Cuba. #PopeInCuba Tweets

#PopeFrancis Tweets

Tweets about Pontifex

Tweets about Pontifex_es

Tweets from https://twitter.com/marcmasferrer/lists/cubadissidents

Tweets by @Pontifex

Tweets by @Pontifex_es

No Cuban political prisoners on list of 3,522 inmates to be pardoned by regime

The announcement the Castro dictatorship was going to pardon 3,522 prison inmates in advance of Pope Francis' visit to Cuba is undoubtedly good news for the prisoners and their families. The pope and others always looking for something good in the dictatorship will be pleased.

But it would be folly to consider the mass pardon a sign of a fundamental shift in the nature of the Castro regime, that it somehow has decided to quit imprisoning its political opponents simply because they are political opponents.

Just consider this: None of the political prisoners whose names were on a list released in June by the unofficial Cuban Commission on Human Rights were on the list of soon-to-be-parolees released by the dictatorship on Friday.

Also, there was no word if the dictatorship and secret police also planned to halt or suspend its increasingly pervasive repression of the Cuban people -- especially those Ladies In White and other activists who dare challenge the regime by trying to walk to Sunday Mass, and instead end up beaten and/or jailed.

Stopping that would please Pope Francis, too, right?

The list of political prisoners is here.

The list of new parolees is here.

Reuters has more.

140 Cuban dissidents arrested while trying to attend Mass on Catholic feast day

Repression never takes a holiday in Cuba, even on feast day of nation's patroness, Our Lady of Charity.

EFE reports via Fox News Latino:

About 140 Cuban dissidents were arrested Tuesday as they were going to attend a Mass at the Lady of Caridad del Cobre Church to celebrate the feast day of the island's patron saint, sources within the dissident movement told EFE.

"Most of the arrests occurred in the early morning hours (on Tuesday) some kilometers from the El Cobre Church, at a spot known as La Tanqueta" in eastern Santiago de Cuba province, said the general coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, or UNPACU, opposition group, Jose Daniel Ferrer.

In all, some 120 UNPACU members were arrested along with about 20 women affiliated with the Ladies in White dissident movement, according to Ferrer, who said that the Cuban authorities' motive was to "prevent them from attending the traditional Mass for the feast day of the patron saint of Cuba."

Ferrer, a former political prisoner with the so-called "Group of 75" opposition figures sentenced to lengthy prison terms during the Black Spring of 2003, said that some of the dissidents were beaten when they were arrested.

He said he had verified that the majority of the activists with his group have already been released by the authorities, although he had not been able to confirm the status of about a dozen. He said that all the Ladies in White who were apprehended have been released.

According to the latest monthly report released by the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, last August there were at least 768 temporary political arrests on the communist island, the highest monthly figure so far this year, and 21 cases of physical aggression during those arrests.

The Cuban government, meanwhile, considers dissidents to be "counterrevolutionaries" and "mercenaries." EFE

Human rights report shows Cuba is a bad place to be a Cuban wanting to be free

Monitoring by a second human rights group in Cuba -- this one comprised of independent Cuban journalists -- reveals again that political repression on the island in August was the worst it's been so far in 2015.

The Hablemos Press news agency (CIHPRESS) reported late Sunday that it had recorded at least 782 political arrests in Cuba in August. That's up from 509 in July, and up from 617 in May, which had been highest monthly tally this year.

Of the arrests recorded in August, 32 were of independent journalists trying to report on opposition activities on the island.

As of Aug. 31, CIHPRESS had recorded at least 4,132 politically-motivated arrests in 2015.

The numbers are similar to those reported last week by the unofficial Cuban Commission on Human Rights Reconciliation: At least 768 arrests in August, its highest monthly count since June 2014; and total of 4,264 so far this year.

The statistically insignificant differences in the tallies demonstrates the difficulties of holding accountable a Castro regime with no interest in being held accountable, especially by the Cuban people. Those difficulties also mean that the actual number of arrests likely is much higher.

Despite the differing tallies, the bottom line is the same: In August, the same month that the United States reopened its embassy in Havana with promises of hope in change, the terror of Cuba for Cubans is only getting worse.

Sept. 6, 2015: 60 anti-Castro activists -- plus Chilean parliament member -- arrested in Cuba

The Damas De Blanco, or "Ladies In White," today in Havana.

Some 60 Cuban Ladies In White and other activists were arrested Sunday, the 21st-straight Sunday the Castro dictatorship's secret police and other goons have targeted its peaceful opposition. Also arrested and beatenwas Felipe Kast, a member of the Chilean parliament who was marching with activists in Havana., it

(And yes, it also was the fourth-straight Sunday of repression in Cuba since the United States reopened its embassy in Havana. As if that's made a difference to the Cuban people. Or to the Castros.)

Felipe Kast

Here are some first-hand reports of today's violence in Cuba: