Angel Santiesteban, Translator: Unstated
The rancor of the Totalitarian State is lethal. It's an eternal
persecution. An entire devastating structure capable of slowly
annihilating you. With persistence they're where you least imagine them,
until you receive your share of venom. A deadly snake who waits for the
moment to bite. And there is always a moment.
The attack came from where I least expected. An ex-wife was taken,
taking advantage of her spite and three years of separation to use her
against me. Without the least shred of proof, I've been accused of
"rape," "theft," "attempted homicide," "threat," "siege," "injuries,"
"knocking down a minor in the public street," among other supposed
crimes, the sum of the years exceeded fifty. And other accusations
surely will come. It's like a message from the mafia: collaborate come
hell or high water. I have chosen because it is high water. The only
thing I'm worried about is not being able to serve all the years if
sentenced. At my age and the years they're asking for, it's impossible
to finish them.
I recently reported on this blog that I was called to the Havana
Psychiatric Hospital(Mazorra). I can't predict what they're up to. Then
I was interviewed by a Lieutenant Colonel of Operations and a Political
Major, as they identified themselves, and they related all the
accusations made by the Prosecutor without a shred of evidence against
me. Of course I know they recorded the conversation. I let them know the
fabrication of the crimes and was aware that it was a plan devised by
State Security to make me give in, and if I persist, to discredit me
internationally.
Obviously they heard nothing new, they already knew everything. I guess
they just planned to record me or to see the amount of damage they'd
managed to inflict on me. They will be disappointed, because every act
of injustice they commit against me and those close to me, strengthens
my will be a blogger.
Before I left I told the officials that I didn't care if they condemned
me, or even put me in prison, I was convinced that I had fulfilled the
most important mission that I came here to do in this life.
1. Having children.
2. Writing books.
3. Planting a tree, in my honor, a few yards from the Bell of Demajagua.*
4. And, above all, I've been a disciplined mason and contributed to my
Institution.
After that, all I could do next would be to repeat myself, I kept
telling them, and in addition, as they were aware, through third parties
who had confessed, State Security had pressured them to continue the
harassment against me, I told them finally.
They didn't express themselves, just listened, and promised to meet with
me again to give me an answer to all the paraphernalia they'd created
around my person. I know that the objective was to observe my mood, my
capacity for persistence and how to continue undermining my strengths.
I do not expect anything good from them. I do not even expect. I decided
to forget them, to continue working for human progress because, at some
point I understood, that a depressive state often appeared in my psyche.
And at moments I thought I could manage it.
There is no better response I could write.
Translator's note:
*On October 10, 1868, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes rang the bell of his
sugar mill, La Demajagua, calling for Cuban independence from Spain.
August 10 2011
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