» Press Releases

CUBA: Opposition Speaks in Regards to Fidel Castro’s Resignation
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Cuba. February 20, 2008. Cuban Democratic Directorate. The following are some of the opinions of the civic resistance movement from within Cuba in regards to the resignation of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, which was announced yesterday in the newspaper Granma.

 

“The Peace, Love, and Freedom Party considers that the news from the leader Fidel Castro to not accept the presidential post [...] is not going to change any aspect of the current situation of the country. However, change is imminent.

- Jorge Luis Álvarez, spokesperson of the Peace, Love, and Freedom Party (Partido Paz, Amor y Libertad) Matanzas.

 

“The resistance to the dictatorship has been and will be interrupted because we cannot continue to fool ourselves. The tyranny is still in power, the political prisoners remain in dungeons, and the pacifist dissidents are still persecuted by Law 88.”

- Bernardo Rogelio Arévalo Padrón, independent journalist, Cienfuegos.

 

“It’s a change of persons for the authority of the government; it cannot be seen as a [true] change. It neither implies that freedom for the Cuban people has been achieved, nor that the regime’s policies have changed. What the Cuban people need is a pacifist transition towards democracy.

- Juan Carlos González Leiva, Human Rights of Cuba Reporter’s Council (Consejo de Relatores por los Derechos Humanos de Cuba), La Habana.

 

“We are hoping that the victory we yearn for will come soon and we must now call the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, who are in charge at present, to give our country democracy. You will see that Castro will remain in history books for future generations as one of two brothers that brought so much heartache to the Cuban people.”

- Tania de la Torre Montesinos, Director of Independent Press Agency Grito de la Patria and President of  Comité Acción Pacífica, Manzanillo.

 

“We shall continue working for a transition towards a true democracy with all its attributes for our country. We shall continue to energetically denounce human rights violations in Cuba until we achieve the immediate freedom of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, as well as, democracy in Cuba.”

- Eliécer Consuegra Rivas, President of the Eastern Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democrática Oriental), Holguín.

 

“Let us not allow that they take away our demanding initiatives that have already started with the valiant youths of the Communications University (Universidad de Ciencias Informáticas). We must demand peacefully for our rights and our self-esteem. ”

- Armando Betancourt Reina, independent journalist and former political prisoner, Camagüey.

 

“We, the Cuban people, need more than the change of one man for another. We cannot at any moment take this occurrence to mean that the government policy is opening, nor that it is a kind gesture. This signifies continuity. Let us consider this resignation to not resolve our problems because it will not resolve the true and serious problems we are facing and that need to be overcome by attaining a more democratic state in our country.”

- Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez”, founder of Presidio Político Pedro Luis Boitel and former political prisoner, Villa Clara.

 

Given on the 20th day of the month of February of the year 2008. Communique no. 12/2008

Send by E-mail | Printable Version

 


About the author


Directorio Democrático Cubano Cuban Democratic Directorate

 

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

© Copyright 2006 Directorio Democrático Cubano. All rights reserved.