Location Uncertain of the Cuban Writer Imprisoned and on Hunger Strike: Angel Santiesteban / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

I call the information number 106 of the National Revolutionary Police. They inform me that Angel Santiesteban-Prats had been “restored” by which they mean to say released since yesterday, after having been interned since the afternoon of Thursday.

I call the Duty Officer at the Santiago de las Vegas Station, Lieutenant Emeritus at (537)-6833734, and he confirms this information. Officially, Angel Santiesteban has already been released, but has not contacted any friend that I know of as of now. His Mobile (53)-52427900 is busy.

These are the facts, please tell his family abroad, especially his sister who sent me a text message.

However, Angel Santiesteban-Prats has not communicated with any of his friends in Cuba, nor with his desperate family in exile.

Therefore, the Cuban authorities could be committing a serious crime if they claim have already released him, when in fact they are holding him in an illegal status in any other State Security prison or house of repression. These are also the facts.

November 10 2012

The “Prosecutor” Drops The Most Serious Charges Against Me / Angel Santiesteban

Translator’s note: This blog post does NOT relate to Angel’s most recent arrest this week. It relates to a series of criminal charges the regime fabricated against him in order to be able to imprison him as a “criminal” rather than as a “political prisoner/prisoner of conscience” for his writings.

After the “Cuban government” made me suffer, for more than three years, its new injustice, to the point that, accusation after accusation, the “Prosecutor” asked for 54 years in prison, and then decided not to continue adding more charges such as, “Attempting,” “Threatening,” “Running over a child with my car and hit and run,” and “Harassment,” among the most absurd and improbably like any of those mentioned, and, shamefully and looking for credibility, joined causes for a final request of 15 years in prison against my person.

And in the process the file was passed off from the “Provincial Court” to the Picota police station to continue the investigation or to invent false proof, considering they didn’t have the slightest evidence against me, and even after the “Court” again received it and sent it to the “Provincial Prosecutor” for the same reason, and they in turn sent it to the “Attorney General of the Republic” and later to the headquarters of “State Security” in Villa Marista, according to the inquiries of my attorney at each step.

In recent days, finally, the “Court,” for the umpteenth time, returned to file to the “Provincial Prosecutor” to continue fabricating charges, which, in the worlds of my attorney, “is a great sausage without legs or head without rhyme or reason and a complete caprice,” and now they have been left with no choice but to withdraw the majority of the accusations, in fact the most serious — attempted murder, forceful robbery, rape, threats, injury — among others, and only keep the accusations of “trespassing” and “injuries.”

All of course without a shred of evidence, but evidently they considered it too exaggerated to remove them all at once.

Now the “Provincial Court” should be alerted that these charges were dropped, why do they keep the others being minor and lacking any evidence or witnesses to support them? Why some yes and others no? Who decided what charges are true or false if all are based on someone making accusations without any evidence and having declared that State Security has manipulated them?

Is it pure chance that after opening this blog I became the most dangerous and feared criminal citizen in Havana?!

Based on these facts it seems that yes, after mounting the police machinery against me, which write in the same file, and where I am portrayed in a note that warns: “of urgent interest of the Minister,” they have had to give up, at least the major charges, those that call for ten years in prison.

I am not naive; I recognize that the only thing they are seeking is that I surrender and close my blog, but I think they realized that the more unjust they are with me, the more they inject strength in my will. And if they are preparing the ground for a small sentence to make an example of me, I will reject it the same drive and determination as ever.

When my lawyer informed me he thought the news would make me jump for joy. I remained impassive, because, repeating the words that I know: “Those 54 years offend me and equally so does a five peso fine. To me it means the same thing. The offense is the same. It is an affront to justice.”
It seems that “government” now does not know how to get out of it without demonstrating that they were wrong, they built a castle in the air, and, like everything that rises, it falls by its own weight, and my case threatens to drop on their heads.

I can only hope that the fate of this fraudulent ship, which like a wounded beast, is giving its last gasps and kicks. My fate, that of justice, is the safe harbor: the ultimate FREEDOM for the people of CUBA.

Ángel Santiesteban-Prats

October 21 2012

The Inheritance of Rosa Maria Paya / Mario Lleonart

Photo: Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

My first direct contact with the Payá family was very unfortunately this. I was totally dissatisfied when during the confused seconds before the coffin I offered brief and protocol words of sympathy they received as from one more stranger among the immense line offering tribute from so many hearts.

Because of that I did waste another fleeting moment and in the morning, well near dawn on the difficult day of the funeral, but that was one of the most solemn moments and this time far from all protocol. Rosa María Payá, that young girl from the photo on the beach, now without her loving dad, was alone for a moment in the first bench on the left of the parish, which was always occupied by the immediate family, all wearing black clothes sign of intense mourning that covered their souls.

I went with the same unwavering strength as the day before, this time not to break a police cordon, but to deal with a young soul shattered by the loss of her irreplaceable privileged father. My words were brief but came from the depths of my soul, this was more or less my message: “You don’t know me Rosa Maria but my name is Mario Felix and I’m simply a Baptist pastor in a remote village of Villa Clara. I am here because yesterday at about this same time of the morning I heard on the radio your words expressing your dismay and dissatisfaction with the way your father died. They were so shocking to me that made me cross the distance to get here. I think you inherited the same light that your father reflected and I just wanted to say: Let it shine.”

And that was it. But amid her grief she seemed to appreciate through her tears a strong flash of light to which I had just referred. A few hours later Maria Rosa illuminated the entire parish overshadowing all the words, including the homily that Cardinal Jaime Ortega had just pronounced.

Dead silence, broken only by the countless cameras flashes showed the attention that everyone focused on her. The content of her words and the way they broke through in the middle of so much pain proved to me that morning that I was right and I knew at once that if someone had thought that with the physical death of Oswaldo they could put an end to his legacy they were totally wrong because we were looking at the representation of the generation that shall reap the fruit of the seed of liberation he had so deftly planted.

November 8 2012

On Due Process / Cuban Law Association, Amado Calixto Gammalame

By Amado Calixto Gammalame

For its implication in the ruling, a basic requirement that the criminal process has raised today, is the need to conduct an individualization of the penalty to be imposed on the accused, according not only to the social and legal significance of the facts of the case, but also the personality of their author.

Our substantive law — I am referring to the Cuban Penal Code — at least relates in a well defined way, several precepts that contribute to such an important purpose, i.e. how it should be done in the specific case to adjust the penalties.

However, it works in practice as a general trend of increasing penalties, even if the offender before the crime had had excellent behavior, but in the opinion of the authorities, because of the offense he is undeserving of such conduct or social recognition gained through his dedication and personal effort, whether by executive positions, honor, authority, or in social responsibility, to give some examples.

Dissimilar judgments are resolved under this reasoning, referring to directors with responsibilities at different levels of management.

Such action is not supported by any legal body and instead, damages a proper administration of justice; when it sentences an individual to long terms, it carries a burden that also involves the accused, a part of society. It is well known, though independent of it is illegal, and it sullies the procedural guarantees in Cuba regarding the order of the criminal process.

The judges, in their role of administering justice, are independent and owe obedience only to the law. This obedience to the law is an unavoidable premise set out in Article 122 of Constitution of the Republic and should not remain a dead letter, the precepts of adequacy are set in the general section of the code and any other interpretation violates this constitutional principle.

Our modest opinion is, that the legislature wisely raised to constitutional range such a postulate for the importance and transcendence that it has in society. On the other hand  gathered in penal institutions the suppositions of aggravation, never harmful to good conduct, the application of similar penal decision must be legislated. The foundation of this opinion derives also from the principle established in  article 2.1 of the Cuban Penal Code that  describes: the punishable character of a supposition must stand as prohibition of realizing it.

August 27 2012

2nd of November-Day of the Dead / Ricardo Medina

The Commemoration of the 2nd of November as All Souls Day, did not arise suddenly. Since the 7th century, the Archbishop of Seville, Saint Isidoro (560-636) established that the Monday of Pentecost would be offered to Saint Sacrifice = Eucarist= Holy Mass for all the dead, as was customary in other countries, especially in the chapters and monasteries.St. Odilo (+ 1049), abbot of Cluny (France) was dedicated to this tradition and usually established it as a commemoration, as it is now; other traditions offer altars decorated in the style of life of the deceased, meals, flowers, candles, the traditional bread of the dead and people spend the night in cemeteries with their loved ones, for example the Night of the Dead (Mexico).

The monasteries dependent on Cluny Abbey, endorsed the Office for the Dead, then Rome gave it great importance, and officially established the Office of the Dead spread throughout the church, complete with the Liturgy of the Hours and enriched with lessons of Saint Peter and St. Augustine, with the privilege of three masses. Today religious congregations include the office of the canonical hours, prayers for the members and supporters who have gone to meet the Father and mention their names.

In each daily celebration and all the masses the moment for the Dead is presented, when it is said among other formulas: “Remember also, Lord, for our deceased brothers and N … N … who have gone before us with the sign of faith and who sleep the sleep of peace. To them and to all who rest in Christ, we pray, Lord, grant them the place of renewal, of Light and Peace.”

There are also offices of liturgies for the deceased lying in state, at the time of burial, for those who die at sea and a special liturgy for young children, who are those children who have not attained the use of reason; it is desirable to shroud them according to their age and to surround them with flowers to honor their spirituality, for this service white vestments are used, the offices for the dead are not celebrated, instead are celebrated masses of glory masses, masses of angels, to praise and bless God, the prayers and psalms in serving infants are of triumph and joy, even though the pain and sadness afflicts their relatives.

In the Commemoration of November 2nd as All Souls Day, the church is dressed in purple, a sign of humility and sorrow, encouraging us to retreat and meditate for our loved ones who have gone before us with the sign of death.

Sadly in Cuba we can see every day the loss of the tradition of visiting cemeteries, holding Masses, burning candles, laying flowers for our deceased relatives and friends; this humble servant thought to present my humble prayer to God for all those who in life I have loved well, my grandparents, my uncles, my teachers, friends, brothers in faith, fraternal, my spiritual directors and all who are entrusted with and have instructed my prayers.

Lord grant them eternal rest!

And may perpetual light shine within them!

Amen.

Translated by: Norman Valenzuela and Carlos Maristany (first half of first paragraph only). Others: remainder.

November 5 2012

Second Act / Rosa Maria Rodriguez Torrado

Downloaded from: “cubadebate.cu”

The Cuban government is a joke. They make us participate in elections in which we have to elect a member of their party to represent us to them? Judge and Jury? The conflict of interest mold has been broken!

The second act of the Cuban election parody occurred this Sunday, November 4. I’m not joking, nor do I place it under the comedy genre that it deserves; the truth is that we who are mocked make up the majority of the Cuban people. They entertain us with a low budget and badly written play, although it is well directed, and with excellent actors. And so it is justifiable that in violation of our civil rights, we respond with the caustic and harmless weapons within our reach, rather than continue to legitimize them for other reasons — among them officially directed intimidation — and the dirty and antidemocratic totalitarian games.

They have already elected in the second round from my own neighborhood, the municipal delegates that will offer the “ugly face” of executive inability to the demands of their constituency. They are controlled by the resources they have at their disposal and they distribute them with much propaganda, based on their needs and interest. They also continue to emphasize what they give us, which reminds me of the refrain “favor taken, favor defecated.” It is probable that in any country with a president who is a friend to Cuba – that is to the Cuban elite leadership — perhaps they lack no goods coming from us.

However, the delegates to the Popular Power popular power do not have the authority nor the capital to patch the streets of their locality, fix the burst pipes, replace neighborhood lighting, the park lamps or to repair a damaged sewer pipe and prevent pollution. The most important tasks of the elected will be to go to all the bureaucratic-partisan meetings with the basic purposes of “raising” the demands of the population of their territory on the one hand, and on the other, to listen to negative “justifications” of authorities.

The U.S. blockade facilitates the inadequacies of the unproductive and centralized sociopolitical and economic system that has anchored Cuba in backwardness; they use it to justify their inadequacies.

Many acquaintances and friends have always voted. They are fearful since there are hidden cameras placed in the voting booths. They leave their finger prints on the ballot to prevent annulment. Many ask if the rumor started in the office of the political police, but they are also fearful of risking their good citizenship status, which the authorities for sure would use to publicly scorn them through their organizational network.

The precedent exists of people who lost their jobs because they did not vote, or students who have been denied admission at the university, or expelled from school for the same reason. Of course, that unleashed long ago the submission of citizens to participate in the electoral process so that they can guarantee the well-being of their family. So, to make more effective their suspicions and thick files, the law does not mandate voting, but at any rate, they surreptitiously force people to vote. What a joke! No?

That’s why, between my friends and acquaintances, almost no one cares who are the candidates, and even less about who was elected, because at the end of the day, what’s the difference?

November 6 2012

Phone Recharge Needed Urgently for Ailer, Antonio Rodiles’ partner, to coordinate a protest for his release: (53)-53233726 / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

URGENT, please, Antonio G. Rodiles’ partner, the activist of Estado de Sats and Cine a Toda Costa (Cinema at Any Cost), Ailer Gonzalez Mena, needs someone to immediately recharge her mobile phone because she is in the street talking and coordinating actions for the campaign to release Rodiles.

Her number is: (53)-53233726.

Translator’s note: Here is a place you can go to recharge it:

EZTOP

Orlando’s cellphone has been blocked — for more information you can call him on his landline at: (537)-6988269

November 10 2012

Sloth / Rebeca Monzo

Sloth

Once again, a large swath of Nuevo Vedada saw its electricity cut off for almost eleven hours yesterday in order to replace worn-out electrical poles. I believe that in the end they replaced four. A great achievement really. As a result, the hard currency stores in our neighborhood—the majority—remained closed for the duration of the thinly-veiled blackout. If you needed to buy something, you had to travel far from home to find it.

There was electricity today, but La Mariposa was closed again, this time for more than two hours, because it was fumigation day. It was disconcerting to see all the employees of this establishment sitting in the park, patiently waiting for the smoke from the burnt petroleum they use as a fumigant to clear so that the store could re-open. This can take up to two hours.

I kept on walking in search of one of the two small hotels in the neighborhood. These were built to house patients from ALBA* countries, as well as their families, during their post-operative recoveries. Since this exchange has been suspended, they now serve as modest hotels whose guests are usually athletes. On the premises they have small but quite well-stocked stores.

I arrived at the Hotel Tulipán’s store at almost a quarter to ten, when it is scheduled to open. To pass the time, I decided to go to the cafe to have a coffee. The person at the counter apologized and told me that there were only two ceramic cups, which were being used at one of the tables, so he would have to serve it to me in a paper cup, if I was willing. I said that would be fine, but asked him why they had only two cups, considering this was a relatively new hotel. The problem, he told me, was that a request had been sent in, but the company had not yet responded. That’s the difference with private hotels, I told him, since the owner would have gone to buy more cups before they had run out.

I finally returned to the store. It was now a quarter after ten and they still were not open, even though through the glass doors I could see the employees standing around. There were now five of us waiting outside. The assistant manager arrived and an employee then opened the door to greet us, without looking at us or saying anything. A young man, who was also waiting and appeared to be in a hurry, asked her why they were still not open, and she, without even looking at him, said that the calculator was broken.

I continued on my journey and saw a kiosk which sold items for hard currency. I wanted to buy a big carton of juice to take to a sick friend. When I went to pay with a twenty, the employee calmly told me that I would have to come back later because he did not have enough change.

I returned home confused and frustrated at not being able to get anything I needed, thinking that it does not take a hurricane or an embargo to destroy this country. Sloth is taking care of that fast enough.

Translator’s note: A trade alliance of socialist or socialist-leaning Latin American countries, including Cuba and Venezuela.

November 7 2012

CALL (537)-6988269 TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RAUL REGIME’S #OLAREPRESIVA (REPRESSIVE WAVE), MY CELLPHONE IS BLOCKED / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

YOU CAN CALL ME, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, on my landline (537)-6988269, where I can speak to you about the obscene repressive wave of Raul’s regime. My cell phone, with more than $100 credit on it, continues to be deactivated by the thieves of the telephone company CUBACEL. Thanks!

November 10 2012

ON HUNGER AND THRIST STRIKE: Antonio Rodiles, Claudio Fuentes and Angel Santiesteban / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

The photographer Claudio Fuentes Madan and Estado de Sats activist, Antonio G. Rodiles, since their violent and arbitrary arrests days ago, are on a HUNGER AND THIRST in protest and resistance against the political police and the murderers of our citizens.

Both continue to be INCOMMUNICADO or MISSING in the Castro prisons of the municipality of 10 de Octubre, in Lawton (at Acosta and Aguilera streets), because no one believes the words of their captors.

The are both very weakened and affected by low temperatures and poor prison conditions. Rodiles is suffering facial injuries from the beating given to him by the repressor called Camilo and others, including knocking him to the floor and punching and kicking him.

The novelist Angel Santiesteban-Prats has broken ribs and a cracked skull from the beating that was captured on a video shot by @ HablemosPress.

There are reports that in Santiago de las Vegas, prisoners are also on a hunger and thirst strike.

November 10 2012

CLAUDIO FUENTES MADAN from the Photography Agency CUBARAW is Still a Prisoner Since Thursday! / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

The Cuban photographer Claudio Fuentes Madan from the independent photo agency CUBARAW, is still a prisoner, being tortured without charges or any type of contact with his friends and family, on these supercold nights at the Police Station in Aguilera Street in the Lawton neighborhood.

The police, with their criminal irony, say they didn’t arrest him, he’s not their prisoner, he’s just in arbitrary holding as long as the political police order it.

The state of his health is unknown and it’s very possible he’s on a hunger and thirst strike for three days now.

The repressor called CAMILO is especially brutal towards him, although in the video of the arrests its obvious that Claudio maintained a disciplined attitude toward the repressive authority of State Security the whole time.

DISTRIBUTE THIS URGENTLY, PLEASE…

November 10 2012