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Repression and Dozens of Arrests in Cuba as the Resistance Holds “Zapata Lives!” Marches
By Directorio Democrático Cubano

Antúnez and other leaders arrested for honoring Zapata

AUDIO Reports from Cuba for Radio Republica http://soundcloud.com/directorio-cuba/decenas-de-arrestos-y-1

Cuba. February 23, 2011. Cuban Democratic Directorate. On the one year anniversary of the murder of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, activists in Cuba, including Zapata’s family, successfully marched in his memory in different parts of the country despite strong repressive measures taken by the Castro regime to prevent demonstrations.

A violent mob and threats by secret police agents overshadowed Reina Luisa Tamayo Danger during her own march to her son’s tomb in the Banes cementery, Holguín Province. She was accompanied by her children and family members,.

“How unjust they are. What cynics they are. [...] How many blows have our brothers and sisters in the struggle from different provinces received, and they do not allow them to come here. [Regime security forces] have been threatening the opposition for days. […] Orlando Zapata, your death has not been in vain. We will continue your struggle. It has been and will be so. There is a before and an after your murder for the Cuban people and for all those who love freedom and democracy”, stated an audibly emotional Reina Luisa to the Cuban Democratic Directorate from the City of Banes.

Resistance activists demonstrated their respect for Zapata’s memory in regions throughout the country. Members of the Bayamo Youth Movement confronted the political police with shouts of “Zapata Lives!” and “Freedom for Cuba”, while they were being transported to State Security Instruction Headquarters [the main State Security facility] there. Earlier, they had taken to the streets to march. Nonviolent activists from the Central Opposition Coalition were likewise able to plow ahead despite threats from mobs organized by State Security and armed with sticks and metal rods. This march ended with beatings against activists, and the breaking down of the door to Adriano Castañeda Meneses's home. Castañeda Meneses serves as provincial delegate for the Coalition and the Orlando Zapata National Civic Resistance Front.

Hours earlier, activists from Havana and Santiago de Cuba successfully carried out public demonstrations to commemorate Zapata. Activists Sara Marta Fonseca Quevedo in Boyeros and Idalmis Núñez Reinosa in Santiago took part in these activities. In the city of Santa Cruz del Sur, youth from the Frank País 30th of November Democratic Party succeeded in marching, proclaiming loudly and clearly that “Zapata Lives!”. Activists in Placetas, Ciego de Avila, and Santa Cruz del Sur also marched.

As could be expected, the main organizers of this call to march in memory of Zapata were detained on February 22 and 23 on the streets of Cuba. Rolando Rodríguez Lobaina, leader of the Eastern Democratic Alliance, was detained in the afternoon hours of February 22 on the streets of Guantánamo. On the morning of February 23, Raúl Risco Pérez, of the Pinar del Río Democratic Alliance was arrested on the streets of Pinar del Río. In Placetas, while carrying out the “Zapata Lives!” march, Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez”, leader of the National Civic Resistance Front, was arrested at approximately 11am along with other activists, including his wife and leader of the Rosa Parks Feminist Movement Yris Pérez Aguilera. The leader of the Cuban Youth for Democracy Movement, Eriberto Liranza Romero, was detained on February 21 in the City of Havana. His whereabouts remain unknown. A large number of activists throughout the country remain detained or beseiged in their homes. Independent journalist Caridad Caballero Batista was dragged and beaten at the time of her arrest. The home of Antúnez and Yris Pérez was vandalized following their arrest on the streets and Yris was severely beaten by political police agents.

The following is a partial list of activists detained throughout the country during the “Zapata Lives!” Memorial who have been identified thus far. We know there are more, but have not yet been able to identify them by name.

 

1.      Conrado Rodríguez Suárez (Pinar del Río)

2.      Pedro Jesús Callejas Lescano (Pinar del Río)

3.      Eriberto Liranza Romero (Ciudad de La Habana)

4.      Yadira Rodriguez Bambino (Dama de apoyo de las Damas de Blanco de Marianao, Ciudad de La Habana)

5.      Tania Montoya Vázquez (Detenida en La Habana, activista de Santiago de Cuba)

6.      Hermógenes Inocencio Rivera Gómez (Ciudad de La Habana) junto a 12 activistas.

7.      Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez” (Villa Clara)

8.      Guillermo Fariñas Hernández (Villa Clara)

9.      Damaris Moya Portieles (Villa Clara)

10.  Diosiris Santana Pérez (Villa Clara)

11.  Yris Pérez Aguilera (Villa Clara)

12.  Juan Ariel Rivero Díaz (Villa Clara)

13.  René Fernández (detenido en Villa Clara, activista de Camagüey)

14.  Yunieski García López (Villa Clara)

15.  Frank Reyes López (Villa Clara)

16.  Idania Yanes Contreras (Villa Clara)

17.  Alcides Rivera Rodríguez (Villa Clara)

18.  Meivis Mulens (Camagüey)

19.  Yoel Marín Cárdenas (Camagüey)

20.  Virgilio Mantilla Arango (Camagüey)

21.  Yordan Marrero Huerta (Camagüey)

22.  Elicardo Gutierrez (Camagüey)

23.  Julio Columbié Batista (Ciego de Avila)

24.  Omar Wilson Estevez Real (Holguín)

25.  Anny Sarrión Romero (Holguín)

26.  Maritza Cardoso Romero (Holguín)

27.  Juan Carlos Vázquez Osorio (Holguín)

28.  Edilberto Sartorio (Holguín)

29.  Juan Sacarías Verdecia (Holguín)

30.  Pedro Gómez Góngora (Holguín)

31.  Richard Arias Duputey (Holguín)

32.  Yoandri Montoya Avilés (Granma) junto a 14 activistas.

33.  Rigoberto Zamora (Granma)

34.  Marino Antomarchi Rivero (Santiago de Cuba) junto a 6 activistas

35.  Reinier Aroche (Santiago de Cuba)

36.  Guillermo Cobas Reyes (Santiago de Cuba)

37.  Guillermo Espinosa (Santiago de Cuba)

38.  Luis Enrique Guivert Martínez (Santiago de Cuba)

39.  José Laffita Falcón (Santiago de Cuba)

40.  José Enrique Martínez Ferrer (Santiago de Cuba)

41.  Juan Carlos Figueroa Cala (Santiago de Cuba)

42.  Alexis Rosabal (Santiago de Cuba)

43.  Roberto de la Rosa Estrada (Santiago de Cuba)

44.  Rodnel Bejerano Silot (Santiago de Cuba)

45.  Agustín Alonso Parada (Santiago de Cuba)

46.  Julio Baltazar Ballester (Santiago de Cuba)

47.  Miguel Cabrera Montoya (Santiago de Cuba)

48.  Yuleisis Garcés Pérez (Santiago de Cuba)

49.  Rogelio Tabío (Guantánamo)

50.  Rosaida Ramírez Matos (Guantánamo)

51.  Rolando Rodríguez Lobaina (Guantánamo)

52.  Yordis García Fournier (Guantánamo)

53.  Blanca Hernández

54.  Tania de la Torre Montesinos (Detenida en La Habana, activista de Granma)

55.  Lazara Miján (La Habana)

56.  Inés Antonia Quesada

57.  Leidy Coca Quesdada

58.  Ivón Mayesa

59.  Norvis Otero

60.  Estrella Aranguren

61.  Rodolfo Barthelemy Cobas (Guantánamo)

62.  Randy Caballero Suárez (Guantánamo)

63.  Emilio Almaguer de la Cruz (Guantánamo)

64.  Gerardo Leiva Hidalgo (Holguín)

Detenidos el 23 y liberados el 24 de febrero:

65.  Raúl Luis Risco Pérez (Pinar del Río)

66.  Lázaro Caridad Porra Vila (Pinar del Río)

67.  Julio Adonis Castro Martínez (Pinar del Río)

68.  Gisel Cruz Montejo (Pinar del Río)

69.  Hugo Prieto Quevedo (Pinar del Río)

70.  Denys Díaz González (Pinar del Río)

71.  Yosvany Alonso Brito (Pinar del Río)

72.  Luis Alberto Hernández Álvarez (Pinar del Río)

73.  Francisco Javier Rivera Invierno (Pinar del Río)

74.  Humberto Ramos Obregon (Pinar del Río)

75.  Yoangel Palacio Hernández (Pinar del Río)

76.  Roberto Blanco Gil (Pinar del Río)

77.  Ismael Reyes Martínez (Pinar del Río)

78.  Caridad Caballero Batista (Holguín)

79.  Esteban Sande Suárez (Holguín)

80.  Juan Carlos Verdecia Dominguez (Holguín)

81.  Jorge Corrales Ceballos (Guantánamo)

82.  José Cano Fuentes (Guantánamo)

83.  Francisco Luis Manzanet Ortiz (Guantánamo)

84.  Yobel Sevila Martínez (Guantánamo)

85.  Isael Poveda Silva (Guantánamo)

86.  Blas Fortún Martínez(Villa Clara)

87.  Yaité Cruz Sosa (Villa Clara)

88.  Roberto González Pelegrin (Guantánamo)

Lista parcial de activistas con restricción de movimiento:

1.      Sara Marta Fonseca Quevedo (La Habana)

2.      Laura Pollán Toledo (La Habana)

3.      Francisco Rangel Manzano (Matanzas)

4.      Caridad Burunate Gómez (Matanzas)

5.      Juan Francisco Sigler Amaya (Matanzas)

6.      Eduardo Marcos Pacheco Ortiz (Matanzas)

7.      Leticia Ramos Herrería (Matanzas)

8.      Luis de la Garza (Villa Clara)

9.      José Lino Ascencio (Villa Clara)

10.  Ana Rosa Alfonso Arteaga (Villa Clara)

11.  Adriano Castañeda Meneses (Sancti Spiritus)

12.  Idalmis Núñez Reinosa (Santiago de Cuba)

13.  Reina Luisa Tamayo Danger (Holguín)

14.  Daniel Mesa Cantillo (Holguín)

15.  Cristián Toranzo Fundichely (Holguín)

16.  Mildred Noemi Sánchez Infante (Holguín)

17.  Fidel García Roldán (Holguín)

18.  Rafael Pérez Sotolongo (Holguín)

19.  José Antonio Triguero Mulet (Holguín)

20.  Ronald Ruz Rojas (Holguín)

21.  Abel López Pérez (Guantánamo)

22.  Serafina Díaz Castillo

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