Guillermo Farinas’ Daughter Calls For A Social Campaign In Support Of Her Father / EFE, 14ymedio

Guillermo Farinas on hunger and thirst strike. (Courtesy)
Guillermo Farinas on hunger and thirst strike. (Courtesy)

14ymedio biggerEFE (via 14ymedio), 8 September 2016 – From Puerto Rico, the daughter of Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas called today on the international community to join together tomorrow at noon in a campaign on social networks to support her father, who on Thursday completed 50 days on a hunger strike.

“At any moment, he could die at home,” said Alicia Farinas, 21, in an interview with EFE from San Juan.

The young woman, who is attending university in Puerto Rico, related her concerns for the health of her father and urged users throughout the world to join the “humanitarian call” with the hashtags #SOSMundialXFariñas, #TodosSomosFarinas, #juntoacoco, #YoApoyoTusDemandas and #RaulRespondeYa.

The Cuban dissident, who began his 25th hunger strike on July 20, is in “deteriorated” health, according to his daughter, who said that the Government of Cuba has begun “to cut off access to communications” with him.

“They have blocked all the phones in the last fifteen days to such an extent that they can neither call out or receive messages and this is part of a plan for him not to receive the international support he deserves,” denounced Alice Fariñas.

The young woman will lead an act of solidarity at noon tomorrow in San Juan and said that at the same time similar supporting actions will be held for Fariñas in other places like Miami and Washington.

The campaign seeks to learn more about the situation of the opposition and the violations of human rights in Cuba.

“We want all people to join this campaign as a gesture of humanity,” she said.

She added that the aim of the social campaign is also let people know “why people like Guillermo Fariñas, winner of the European Parliament 2010 Sakharov Price for Freedom of Thought, have to resort to ways as drastic as a hunger strike as a form of protest to the lack of respect for human rights within the island.”

Fariñas, who lives in Santa Clara, has been on a hunger and thirst strike for 50 days to demand the government of Raul Castro stop the repression and open a dialogue with the opposition.