Paramilitary Units and Organized Mobs Lay Siege to Meeting of Cuban Dissidents in San Juan y Martinez

Paramilitary Units and Organized Mobs Lay Siege to Meeting of Cuban
Dissidents in San Juan y Martinez / Leon Padron Azcuy
Posted on November 11, 2013

HAVANA, Cuba, November 11, 2013, León Padrón Azcuy/ www.cubanet.org.-
The home of opposition activist Sandra Ace Rramos in the town of San
Juan y Maritnez was the scene this Saturday morning of a seige by
pro-government "Rapid Response Brigades" and paramilitary forces,
organized by provincial State Security officials in Pinar del Rio
Province. The government-organized mobs were mobilized to disrupt a
meeting of provincial opposition leaders scheduled for that day.

According to a report by phone by local activist Maiker Alexander
Hernández of the Cuban Patriotic Union (UNPACU), who attempted to
participate in the dissident meeting, the mobs began surrounding the
home in the early morning hours, and were organized by State Security
officers José Manuel Crespo and Captain Orestes Ayala. The furious mob
shouted obscenities and threats against the opposition activists
gathering inside, with the intention of intimidating them into not
proceeding with the event. "It as a classically fascist tactic,
something never seen in this town before", said Hernández.

Despite the intense repression and physical aggression, thirteen of the
eighteen planned participants were able to enter the house located at
145 Leopoldo Pérez Street, in the town of San Juan Y Martinez. The
structure is the site of the independent library Amor Paz y Libertad,
run by Ace Ramos.

Five of the activists attempting to participate in the meeting were
arrested and taken to the local station of the National Revolutionary
Police and released later in the day, around 5pm.

Among the participants in the opposition gathering were Raúl Risco,
President of the Pinareña Democratic Alliance, and Eduardo Díaz Freitas,
former political prisoner belonging to the famous "Group of 75″ (from
the Black Spring of 2003) recently released from prison for health
reasons. Mr. Díaz declared by phone link: "We organized this gathering
because we have resolved to bring together all of the opposition groups
in Pinar del Rio Province, something we've been wanting to do for some
years now".

Independent librarian Sandra Ace, who hosted the gathering, stated:
"We're really moved, because despite the intense repression and
aggression that surrounded us all day, many neighbors helped the
participants make it into the house".

The fascist-style event this Saturday in the town of San Juan y Martinez
against peaceful opposition activists is not an isolated event. Pinar
del Rio has seen a wave of repressive activity this year against
dissidents, similar to that seen in all other parts of the country — a
level of repression which is expected to only get worse with time.

It's no secret that the disproportionate repression on the part of the
government of Raul Castro reflects a fear of loss of control. According
to the Cuban Reconciliation and Human Rights Commission (CCDHRN), led by
Dr. Elizardo Sánchez, in the month of October alone there were 909
politically motivated detentions in the country, one of the highest
rates for a single month in over 20 years. This is in addition to
incidents of violence by police and para-police units (Rapid Response
Brigades), as well as acts of physical aggression against opposition
activists.

At the time this report was release, the opposition activists who had
gathered for this meeting expressed their gratefulness to media outlets
abroad that attempt to generate international awareness of the true
state of affairs inside Cuba.

León Padrón Azcuy, Leonpadron10@gmail.com

Cubanet, 11 Nov 2013

Source: "Paramilitary Units and Organized Mobs Lay Siege to Meeting of
Cuban Dissidents in San Juan y Martinez / Leon Padron Azcuy |
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