Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “despite the visitors, some from this body, who are going down to meet with the Cuban dictator and come back thrilled…”

“despite the visitors, some from this body, who are going down to meet with the Cuban dictator and come back thrilled, having drooled with the privilege of meeting with him and having a banquet in his palace, the reality of Cuba today is quite different. The leaders of the Cuba of tomorrow, of the inevitably democratic Cuba of tomorrow, are in many instances in the political prisons of the totalitarian state today. One such young woman, the mother of two, is Maritza Lugo, a Cuban political prisoner of conscience. A few days ago she managed to sneak out. She knows she is risking her life. But if she had the courage to sneak this out for the world to know, I think that I have the obligation to read it for my colleagues and those interested to know what she says. Statement by Maritza Lugo, March 5, 2001, addressed to all people of good will who defend human rights. She states: From this horrible place I come before you, the international organizations who defend human rights, the organizations defenders of democracy, justice, and peace, the religious organizations who promote liberty; the whole world and its people, to denounce the government of Cuba. I accuse the dictatorial government imposed on Cuba and its repressive arm, the State Security, of all the injustices and abuses they commit against the Cuban people, the penal population, and especially against the political prisoners of conscience.…”