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DEMANDING THE RELEASE OF CUBAN ARTIST DANILO MALDONADO "EL SEXTO” AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FROM UNPACU.
By Asamblea de la Resistencia

Someone said: “The world is not the way it is because of those who do evil, it’s the way it is because of those who allow it”. Danilo Maldonado, “El Sexto”. Miami, Florida- September 29, 2015. Assembly of the Cuban Resistance. The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance is united in its support of Cuban artist Danilo Maldonado "El Sexto", imprisoned unjustly in solitary confinement in the prison of Valle Grande, Mayabeque Province, Cuba, who declared a hunger strike calling for his release. The Assembly is also in solidarity with human rights activists of the Unión Patriótica de Cuba (UNPACU) (Patriotic Union of Cuba), Zaqueo Baez, Ismael Bonet Rene and Maria Josefa Acón, who are detained and on a hunger strike in Havana, for approaching Pope Francis and demanding freedom for Cuba, just before the papal Mass at the Civic Plaza José Martí in Havana this past September 20th. “Today marks 22 days that graffiti artist Danilo Maldonado, known as "El Sexto," is on hunger strike, he has been imprisoned for more than nine months, has yet to receive any judgment, and the cause for his imprisonment is simply wanting to make a ‘performance’. He is a visual artist—the regime feared that his ‘performance’ was a discourse—either he was going to speak out, or he was going to showcase his piece about two pigs he painted with the names of Fidel and Raul Castro. The reality is that everything that has happened thus far has been unjust, news of his release have been nothing but lies. Danilo has lasted 22 days a situation that is very critical. It is also important to note that three activists were arrested; two of UNPACU and a Lady in White during the recent Papal visit and are in prison “Cién and Aldabó”, are themselves on strike and their situation is delicate as well. We call on the international community to support these defenders of human rights, as their lives are at risk," said Antonio Rodiles, one of the general coordinators of Foro de los Derechos y las Libertades (the Forum on the Rights and Freedoms) in Cuba. Link to audio: https://youtu.be/yMninPF2QBM The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance demands the immediate release of the artist Danilo Maldonado "El Sexto" as well as the human rights activists of UNPACU, Zaqueo Baez, Maria Josefa Acón and Ismael Bonet Reñé and urges human rights organizations and the international community to show solidarity with this cause, and to hold responsible Raul Castro and his regime for its repressive agencies for what may happen to them all. Below the Farewell letter from Danilo Maldonado “El Sexto” and UNPACU video in favor of the freedom of human rights activists Zaqueo Baez , Maria Josefa Acón and Ismael Bonet Reñé. Farewell Letter from El Sexto / Danilo Maldonado Posted on September 24, 2015 Valle Grande Prison From the “cell” (of punishment) September 16, 2015… 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. El Sexto has been on a hunger strike since September 8th. He is demanding his freedom because he has been imprisoned since December 25th (of last year) for thinking to release some pigs with the names of Fidel and Raul, which he never released because he was imprisoned. He is in prison without trial or sentence or justice. http://translatingcuba.com/farewell-letter-from-el-sexto-danilo-maldonado/ LINK TO VIDEO UNPACU “FREE ZAQUEO BAEZ CAMPAIN”: https://youtu.be/7dNv7c7Mqf4

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