» Resistencia Cívica en Cuba

OPEN LETTER OF ANTÚNEZ TO GENERAL RAUL CASTRO
28/08/2014 | Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez"


No, no, and no Raul Castro

This, I think is the second or third time I write you, and as always without the slightest thought or desire that you would answer me, for the utter contempt and disgust emanating from your person does not let me do otherwise.

Mr. genocidal dictator,

Today marks 24 years and five months that with only 25 years, five months and 15 days of age I dared to oppose you. Surely your sycophants in the high command of the political police and the party commented on it. Remember dictator, that night you spoke in the city of Santiago de Cuba, that appeal to the Fourth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, and as always a speech, like so many by your brother, that only a few paid you attention. I recall that I was in the square that you all call Revolution, where huge loudspeakers transmitted to people who were voiceless, hungry and above all deaf to your tiresome verbiage. It was a Thursday, March 15, 1990, Stalinist Europe had collapsed, the former Soviet empire was about to disintegrate and here in the Caribbean a senile caste clung to power and refused to implement reforms. For demanding them that late afternoon, your arrogant forces savagely beat me; their instruction corps tortured me and issued orders so that months later your lackey judicial system sanctioned me to imprisonment for the famous crime of "oral enemy propaganda."

Mr. dictator, I believe that I should confess to you that at the time of my arrest I still did not know of the long and proven track record of crime and terror established by your brother and you: forced labor, UMAP concentration camps, the sad history of the captive peoples, without taking into account Castro’s interference into the internal affairs of other countries and international conflicts. Perhaps due to this ignorance, I only asked for reforms and shouted that communism was an error and a utopia. Today, after learning more about your system, I ask for your overthrow and catalog communism as an aberration and crime: the social plague of the twentieth century.


That day it was enough that as a Cuban and a youth, I was not free; that as a social entity something was lacking to be able to breathe and walk. I felt that I was forbidden to speak and that I should, either continues to use the mask, "to not look for trouble", or remove it and act and live in accordance with myself even if it meant suffering the most horrible repression. And that is what I did; I challenged you, General (without battles). I did it in spite of your known reputation as a cruel and bloodthirsty man. I did it, General and my only regret is not having had the courage, the opportunity, or perhaps the possibility of doing it long before then.

On the other hand, I also have to confess that it never occurred to me the idea that so much sick fury of hatred and harassment was to be applied against my person. That in the year 1993, three years after the arrest and serving my unjust imprisonment in case # 4 of 1990, the famous hall of crimes against State Security in the dark Santa Clara Provincial People's Court sentenced me, now in case # 5 of that year for alleged acts against your socialist revolution for which I had to spend 17 years and 38 days of uninterrupted political prison that gave me the opportunity to learn in the flesh the use of torture and humiliation as weapons of political repression.

Raul Castro, my case is known to you since it was you and not another who ordered the multiple raids and looting of which I have been a victim in my home during the past few weeks, where in the grossest show of force and impunity you sent your cowardly and opportunistic assault troops who partially destroyed my home and stole more than once:  articles, appliances, office supplies, medicines, foods during these known actions that in Cuban slang are known as acts of thievery. After all, everyone does what they are taught.

Mr. General, and now that you also self-title yourself President of the Councils of State and Ministers, I know well how many letters opponents have sent to you from inside and outside asking you to make reforms and a political opening as well as to convene elections. They ask as if you really were a president and as if in Cuba there was in power a real government and not a tyranny. We know that at any moment, you Machiavellian and opportunistic henchman will accept what they ask for and conduct a popular consultation, i.e. sham elections under your control, as in Venezuela where the totalitarian ruling party continues in power. And it is not a secret, the desperate and cunning maneuvers you and your acolytes perform to manufacture supposed opponents assuring with them the dynastic and ideological succession.

But be forewarned General, and it is one of the reasons for this letter, that we, honorable and committed Cubans to the future of our country, are not going to accept that fraudulent and cosmetic change that you are concocting. Know also that the Cuban Resistance does not expect or want reforms implemented by the criminal tyranny over which you preside. The only reforms accepted by us are those that following your ouster or abandonment of power are realized by the people from the bottom up.

Mr. dictator, enough tricks, that you will not serve a new term, that is not important to us. That you carry out reforms in the economic and immigration arena, that's a lot of lies, and it does not matter to us either. That your regime upgrade your model is another fallacy and lie. That's more of the same.

That monetary reform will come is a tremendous trick and a lie, General. We the people of Cuba, need a democratic system where a market economy prevails. One, two, three or a hundred thousand currencies do not matter, as long as there is a centralized and suffocating economy like your totalitarian system. We do not want reforms or openings with you Mr. dictator, you are not our owners, nor should you dictate our guidelines.

We know that your time on earth is running out, and that powerful interests have shown the intention of pandering, or sharing huge profits at the cost of the pain and sacrifice of the Cuban people.

General Raul Castro, for warning about the danger of fraudulent change, you ordered the assassination of Oswaldo Payá and young Harold Cepero. I doubt that you now have sufficient thugs to continue killing thousands and thousands who like Payá and Harold continue to denounce your tricks and continuity maneuvers.

For Laura Pollan, a defenseless woman, you sent your hired murderers to do away with her, because you could not defeat her on her Sunday marches on Fifth Avenue. It did not bother you that she was a woman and the justice of her demands. But Laura also defeated you, cowardly General, for her brave troops of the Ladies in White survived the cruel execution of their leader and is now spreading like patriotic wildfire throughout the Island.

Pedro Luis Boitel, Olegario Charlotte Pileta, Orlando Zapata, Wilman Villar, and many others, who had the courage to sacrifice themselves for the sake of freedom and respect for their dignity had already defeated you. Honor that both you and your thugs who threaten to kill me in retaliation for my slogan “Neither will I fall silent nor will I leave Cuba," lack. They themselves also just a few days ago, during one of the many arrests that I have been a victim, tortured and beat me, since according to them and you, I am sabotaging the attempts of your tyranny to normalize relations with the United States.

Please know General Raul Castro that neither the absurd injunction of house arrest that weighs against me and the obvious threat of being killed, will make me change in my purpose that is the same as thousands of Cubans. You will not be able to, Raul Castro; you cannot subdue a people who are tired of living without freedom, as you can not realize the international effort that is brewing against the cause of freedom in Cuba. That plot, Raul Castro, will not succeed, whether it comes from Havana, from Washington, from Brussels, or even from Vatican City. They won’t be able to, General, because I know that both you, your family, and that cruel and bloody Party, will be excluded from any process of democratic change as you signify the negation of democracy itself.

And tell your subordinates, General, I'm here and will be here in my beloved homeland of Placetas from which you will not take me out neither your repressive forces or you yourself, or anyone, and that my humble abode, though desecrated, vandalized and looted by your entourage will remain a bastion of resistance, struggle, shelter and sanctuary for my countrymen who fight against you and in favor of freedom and justice. And tell them also General, your promoters and cronies, your spokesmen be they in Miami, in Washington, in Brussels, in Havana, or the Vatican itself not to continue rubbing their hands. We say no to continuity because here in Cuba there will not be reconciliation without there first being justice, freedom and democracy.

And as presentiment also tell some governments that call themselves democratic and which are within the plot, that they are wasting their time General, that the fact that Cubans need and hope for international solidarity, that does not mean that one country or foreign power, no matter how powerful or influential will be part of our process of change, because Cubans, those inside and those outside, are convinced that the solution of Cuba must and should be resolved between Cubans, exempting you and yours of course General, that for the damage you and yours have done to our nation, do not even deserve to be called Cubans.

Raúl Castro Ruz, on behalf of the people of Cuba, my fellow prisoners, and the victims of your dictatorship, I tell you no, no and no.

From Placetas, in the center of Cuba Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez”, who “Neither will I fall silent nor will I leave Cuba." 20 de agosto de 2014.

 

 

 

 

Enviar por E-mail | Versión para Imprimir

Directorio Democrático Cubano
P.O. Box 110235
Hialeah, Florida 33011
Tel. 305-220-2713
info@directorio.org

© Copyright 2008 Directorio Democrático Cubano. Todos los Derechos reservados.