Political Quotes

“Mr. President, some of you may have seen in the press last week that an inspiring Cuban citizen who tirelessly fought for a peaceful transition to democracy recently died in a tragic car accident on that island. Oswaldo Paya was a modest man. A brave man. A hero. A Cuban patriot. And he was also very wise. He realized that one of the best ways to change the cruel and repressive Cuban regime was to work from within. He used a provision in Cuba's constitution to seek peaceful political change and openness. More specifically, he and his team created the Varela Project to gather more than 11,000 signatures of Cuban citizens on a petition that called for a more open political system. Keep in mind that putting one's name on a petition to the Cuban Government is a courageous thing to do on that island. It puts that person and his or her family at great risk. Nonetheless, in May 2002, he bravely presented the petition to the Cuban National Assembly for action exactly as allowed for in the Cuban Constitution. What did the Cuban Government do in response to a heroic and reasonable call for change allowed for under the country's own laws? It harassed Paya and his followers. It began its own referendum that made the island's socialist system ``irrevocable,'' even after an additional 14,000 signatures were added to the Varela Project petition. A year later many of Paya's allies were arrested in a crackdown that sent many dissidents, writers, and even librarians to prison.…”