The refrain was echoing throughout the afternoon in the Virginia neighborhood, and the afternoon of last May 16 and it came out of the mouths of a group of teenagers, from a high school, kids the political police took there to carry out one of those acts of public disorder euphemistically called “repudiation.”

Needless to say, the young men and women who shouted and danced with the chorus didn’t know me and what’s more it’s likely they never even heard of me, or of Idania Yanez to whom they shouted, “Idania get out already!”

The “Antunez pick up and go,” like the “Idania get out now,” represent the feelings and longing of repressive apparatus that is desperate and angry before my firm decision not to shut up nor to leave Cuba. So they want me to pick up and go, but they’re going to have to like it or lump it.

May 22 2012

Mr. Presidents and Foreign Ministers participating in the Sixth Summit of the Americas, meeting in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia:

I am Jorge Luis Garcia Perez Antunez, former Cuban political prisoner who, after warmly greeting you and sending you my respects on behalf of my brothers of the internal resistance, which in a peaceful but direct fight suffers daily repression with respect human rights and fighting for a transition to a free and democratic society. I would like to take this opportunity through an exile organization, MAR for Cuba and the Cuban Resistance Assembly, which serve as a conduit to this letter, to expose to all those present, the grim picture of violated human rights in Cuba, and the titanic efforts of a people in their struggle for freedom.

Respected leaders and foreign ministers, delegations, the regime in Havana is striving more than ever to continue curtailing the freedom of its citizens and to nullify their rights and freedoms for the sake of their ultimate goal, to stay in power at all costs, regardless the high price paid by a people living in poverty and lack of freedoms.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in my country they continue to penalize the exercise of fundamental rights recognized internationally. The beatings, violent raids of homes, imprisonment, are the order of the day, covered in the cold indifference of an important part of the international community, and committed by callous hierarchy and especially the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of such outrages whose victims, in the absence of rule of law and guarantees as citizens, are in a perpetual state of helplessness.

In this repressive situation, the desires of a people for freedom caused them to stand up and demand justice. The proof is the existence of a number of organizations that make up an emerging civil society, including the Orlando Zapata Tamayo National Front of Civic Resistance and Civil Disobedience, which has managed in an unprecedented reality to organize a concerted effort by a full range of regional coalitions in Cuba peacefully promoting democracy.

This Front, born of the need for historical and situational leadership for the longed for unity in action, has become the most annoying nightmare facing the repressive bodies, which are alarmed by soaring pots-and-pans protests, marches, sit-ins, speeches and other forms of public protest that have managed to shake the very foundations of the dictatorship.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the emergence and development of a strong opposition leadership within the island formed by the new generations that the regime sought to indoctrinate with the same totalitarianism, show the whole world how necessary it is to redouble the approach and contact with Cuban democrats, of how imperative it is today is to intensify international solidarity not only to support us but politically and to economically isolate a regime that uses its resources to suppress the rebellious voices.

The Orlando Zapata Tamayo National Front of Civic Resistance and Civil Disobedience and other organizations of the political opposition claim before this VI Summit of the Americas, one of the most important and prestigious of the free world, asking all people of good will present, that an occasion like this calls for a clear and forceful statement in favor of the cause of freedom in Cuba and condemning the Castro communist dictatorship, responsible for so much pain, censorship and damage to our people.

Remember that Cuba is the only country in our hemisphere that lacks a democratic state, the only people of this great American family that is forbidden the sacred right to democratically elect their leaders and where opinions, freedom of movement, association and even disagreeing politically are acts that constitute a crime

All these elements are more than enough for an urgent, timely and strong condemnation. Ignoring the crime would also legitimize the repressors and further delay the end of this totalitarian agony that has oppressed us for over half a century.

With my greatest respect I await, from such distinguished participants at this Summit of the Americas, a statement on the matter,

Jorge Luis Garcia Perez Antunez
Secretary General of the Orlando Zapata Tamayo National Front of Civic Resistance and Civil Disobedience.

Placetas, Villa Clara, Cuba, April 8, 2012

April 13 2012

Transcript of recording.

Speaking is Idania Yanes Contreras, president of the Central Opposition Coalition, Santa Clara and a member of the Women’s Movement for Civil Rights Rosa Parks. February 1, 2012.

“Well we are here at the headquarters of the Central Opposition Coalition located on the Extension of Marta Abreu 93 A between B and C in the Virginia neighborhood here in the city of Santa Clara. This march is held the first day of each month and at the moment we are surrounded by a large number of State Security and Police officers.

“Also this march… the last March we dedicated to demanding the release of Ivonne Malleza Galano and her husband Ignacio Martinez, and this march is dedicated to demand the release of Yazmín Conlledo Riverón and her husband Yusmani Rafael Álvarez Esmoris, who have been incarcerated since last January 8 and that unjustly and falsely accused of crimes. But I also take this opportunity, since February 4 marks the 99th anniversary of the birth of Rosa Parks, and our movement honors her name.

“From the town of Placetas: Xiomara Martín Jiménez, Yris Tamara Pérez Aguilera, Yaité Diosnelly Cruz Sosa, and from Santa Clara are Yanisbel Valido Pérez, Damaris Moya Portieles, María del Carmen Martínez López, and the speaker Idania Yanes Contreras.

“We are carrying a sheet that says March for Freedom and Against Impunity, Release Yazmín Conlledo and Yusmari Álvarez Unjustly Imprisoned. Rosa Parks Women’s Movement. Long Live Human Rights.

“We’re leaving here, and well, we know we aren’t going to walk very far, they are already there, and they are watching us and we are leaving here on this march.”

Beginning of March: The continuation of transcript includes the audio of the march.

Freedom for Yazmín Conlledo Riveron y Yusmani Rafael Álvarez Esmoris, Freedom ….

Long live human rights, long live …

Down with repression, Down ….

We are being arrested.

And piercing screams of pain and protest from different women.

“Don’t put your hands on my breasts, murderer, don’t put your hands on my breasts, murderer, murderer human rights violator. Do not hit me, murderer, stop hitting me, you are going to kill me, don’t put your hands on my breasts, don’t put your hands there again henchman, don’t put your hands on my breasts, don’t put your hands on my breasts, murdered, dog, Ahhhhhh! Don’t put your hands on my breasts.”

Voice of a soldier talking to another: “She has a cellphone there, she has a cell phone there.”

“Murderer, I do not stick your hands in the breasts, Ahhhhhh! … Stop that …”

Here the call was cut off. Minutes after the arrest Barbara Moya, eyewitness to the events and mother of Damaris Moya Portieles, one of the victims of the cruel and brutal act against these defenseless women, said:

“Look at the officials of State Security and the National Revolutionary Police they were all over the women in the Rosa Parks Women’s Movement, they pushed them, they threw them to the ground because there are peaceful and it took between six and seven police officers for each one the grabbed from the ground, pushing and mistreating them like the political police do in this country. There were about 20 or 30 policemen for the ladies of Rosa Parks.

“We were recording everything they were doing and the people from State Security took a blanket they brought to cover it up and put it in front of the camera so that we could not record them. We said that the world would find out all this, because even though they put that blanket up we could record something.”

February 1 2012

Hey, guajiro, it’s me Julio Machado, how are you my brother? And your wife? How’s it going? Hey I’m following you on the news.

He made it hard for me to recognize his voice, he disguised it to not sound bad and the cell phone coverage was poor. Hey, guajiro, how’s it going, listen buddy, I don’t know your voice, in these days when communication is hellish. His voice sounded tired but never lost its usual humor and he never treated his compatriots on the island with anything but affection and friendship. His disease was taking over but he persisted in living. Listen, brother, don’t worry, I’m thinking back to Radio Marti in September. He knew the internal resistance needed him, that he wasn’t just another journalist. Perhaps now I sensed his approaching end but to avoid one more source of pain and worry we ignored the seriousness of it. It was late July.

When he was only 16 this peasant from Baez had gone to prison for distributing proclamations against the Castro dictatorship. After he was released, still very young, he was forced into exile among the captive peoples of the western provinces of Cuba. Little did this simple, natural and always cheerful peasant who would later leave for exile in the United States, imagine that he would wind up on Radio Marti in one of the most noble jobs: reporter. Nor did he know he would make so many friends all over Cuba and that his death would be so mourned.

From Thursday to Tuesday during the night we would listen to him. How are you man, how are things going, who should I call? Or, I called so-and-so or what’s-his-face, I’m very concerned about this or that. I remember one time of crisis in a certain sector of the opposition with the radio station, when he was worried and advised that we weren’t acting in the best way, something we understood.

I don’t forget how much he insisted that people and the opposition understand the real magnitude of remaining in the air for a station like Radio Marti living under the eyes of and with the sinister attempts of the regime and its agents on and off the island to remove it. When there were any awards or recognition for an opponent or an independent journalist Julio vibrated with emotion as if it were his own. I remember when the political police through known agents in Havana posted on the internet the false information that I was in negotiations to move to Chile. Guajiro, hey, hey Chilean peasant, he said laughing, call me when you get to Chile. Ah, don’t fuck with me, brother, I said. He relaxed me telling me that these slanders were normal and I should be prepared for it and not devote my time to responding to provocations, that was their goal, to divert my attention. And it was true, my slogan, “I won’t shut up and I’m not going,” annoyed and ate away at them and especially worried the tyranny and its henchmen.

And Julio Machado was not only the journalist who called in a formal tone to record a report and I don’t think he could have ever done more because his solidarity, affection and concern overflowed. There is an anecdote which speaks so little but it so illustrative of what that great Cuban meant and radiated: once there was a group of opponents and independent journalists in a video conference meeting in Havana in which were present, from the other side, several journalists from the station and they suddenly began to request the presence of Julio Machado and they had to go looking for him. I was not present at this conference but all the attendees I asked told me that when Julio appeared everyone stood up and started clapping and his reaction was to blush from embarrassment.

Although at the time of death he had been absent for many months because of his illness, he had something that made an impact and it will be difficult to recover from this loss. It always hurts to lose a friend, but it hurts more when it is someone we have come to love so much.

When I spoke by telephone with his wife from the funeral home thanks to Janisset Rivero and my sister Bertha who accompanied her in her grief, I tried to explain what is Machadito meant for us which is unimaginable, when I say we, I mean not those of any organization, tendency or particular region of the country but for all Cubans. And even sometimes we would say, hey, guajiro, how is it possible you call for so few hours and communicate with so many people; he replied with his smile and just told me, because, brother, it’s me who’s sorry and I do he work I can as a patriotic duty and I suffer with you and he added, you are unable to imagine how I suffer, Antunez, when they are beating you, when I arrive and I hear they beat Idania, Yris, Sara, Rondon. When he finished with his speech I was left thinking, this Julio is really special.

One of the things that made him greater and immortalized him is that despite having their own vision of the Cuban reality, he never questioned any project or initiative, let alone opposition groups or leaders, and he would have been able to do because he was connected and knew everyone, but it was quite the opposite. As a journalist he reported all views and opinions even in the most contentious issues.

Julio was also a school friend and inspiration to independent journalism on the Island. While recording GE listened to you and without diminishing you, he would suggest, and anyone who reported always wanted to record with him. He also had a trick that made his friends laugh and excited novices and beginners. I asked him what had happened and when he finished there were recordings with the raw and unedited testimonials. And after the stress and fear of talking on the radio, he would say forget about everything around you and that you’re going out on the radio, concentrate on me you’re talking with as a friend, and say it in your own words.

His great concept of friendship, his love for his fellow workers and the workplace he showed openly and without an air of bravado. Antunez, here we’re a group do not worry, he would tell me when I reported the news that another journalist that I had wanted to report to him. The opposition or the journalist who gave the news to Julio Machado had the certainty that it would air and that detail increased the confidence in him and his work. Now I wonder what would Machadito would have felt if he had known about the later repression and the lewd abuse to the girls of Rosa Parks whom he so admired. Now I wonder if he learned of the murder of Wilman Villar? God forbid, otherwise such suffering and helplessness would surely have precipitates his death. Until when will worthy Cubans keep falling without seeing their homeland free.

Brother Julio, you know what I regret most in what you just happened to you? That physically there is no remedy, that I can not hear your voice any more, and your sincere smile, that we could never get together here in Baez Park or Casallas in Placetas to have the coffee that we had promised we would when Cuba was free and that sooner or later stations like the one you performed on you with so much love would not have to report violations, abuse and all forms of human rights violations, because we assure and promise that our efforts and teachings and examples of men like you, will make the tyranny that oppresses us fall, guajiro, and that your descendants will not be captives people nor will they die in distant soils and among strangers.

Rest in peace dear brother, the country is grateful and proud of your worthy passage through life.

* Julio Machado, a journalist of Radio Marti, who died on February 3, 2012 in Miami.

February 6 2012

Young people from the Cuban Youth Movement for Democracy with Eriberto Liranza

Now it was the turn of Eriberto Liranza Romero. Now is he whom we have to discredit, destroy and above all to make his brothers in the struggle to lose confidence in him. The smear campaign to discredit and destroy Liranza, unlike those against other members of the resistance, has a more insidious and serious side. And cowards and opportunists who have been given the unscrupulous task of reaching out to some embassies to deliver reports and gossip against the undisputed leader of the most sensitive and important sector of the Cuban opposition: the youth. Eriberto chairs the Cuban Youth Movement for Democracy.

Eriberto, despite his short time as a civic activist and not being as well-known, has proven to be a natural leader which thus arouses the jealousy of some which is used by the political police attack and discredit him.

I am a faithful witness to the unifying effect of this young Christian and of the repressive arsenal of tyranny that is spent against him unlike some that have been hidden to say “that Eriberto and his constant protests and making noise have put him at the center of things in the neighborhood.”

Yes, if that is what someone says from the opposition and in certain places they give priority to trying to stop him, then he is truly a youth leader. The last straw is that certain little characters attack Eriberto and the Front, people who are astute collaborators with the political police with this novel method of collaboration that consists of joining with our oppressors to report how many activists will participate in this or that meeting or event. And in the worst case, a certain individual in the capital gave the officers who besiege the corners of his home, a list of people who may or may not join in the activity.

I have a friend who on getting out of the prison suffered a bitter disappointment that unfortunately took away from the opposition, when, hours after he was released he went to the capital to visit his brothers of the organization and was arrested at the corner of the site, unable to get home because there was a meeting of opponents and officials intercepted him and will not let him even get close because he was not in the list of participants, to wit approved by the political police.

It is unfortunate that in some places they are closing the doors to men like Eriberto Liranza who doesn’t give way and promotes democracy through acts of civil disobedience, so that his home is under siege, and he is systematically arrested and beaten. However, the odd bourgeois, alarmed because of the protests and acts of Eriberto have perverted the district and will receive promotions to adulterated projects, which are limited to photos, little meetings, in short to these underhanded compromises that some make with the State Security.

A week ago some police officers were given the task of writing letters apparently written by Eriberto Liranza attacking the Ladies in White and other opponents. But the strategy is absurd and no longer has the desired effect of the institution that spawned it.

But what most infuriates and annoys the friends and brothers of Eriberto’s struggle is not the smear campaign orchestrated against him, we are already accustomed to the Communists doing this, but that officials of rank, prestige, and even knowledge and experience are falling into the trap of playing the game to damage the reputation of those who with no intention of notoriety, fame or recognition are at the forefront of the struggle and pro-democracy activism in Cuba. And they know well, our Front will not allow them to continue attacking any of our brothers and to echo the lies. Whoever serves the executioner, let them come…

February 12 2012