Child Hunger Striker Close to Death

Child Hunger Striker Close to Death
Posted on May 1, 2013

The following article from yesterday is from "Pedazos de la Isla"
(Pieces of the Island) — a news-blog in Spanish and English that keeps a
special eye on El Oriente in Cuba (Eastern Cuba). Today the news
continues to worsen with 17-year-old Enrique Lozada, striking to protest
the unjust detention of his father, close to respiratory failure.
Hunger strikers in Cuba: Minor, Lady in White and elderly man rushed to
hospital

After more than 2 weeks on hunger strike, three activists of the
Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) have been urgently rushed to the
JuanBrunoZayasHospital in Santiago de Cuba due to serious health
complications.

The strikers are Lady in White Ana Celia Rodriguez (suffering from
diabetes), the elderly activist Dionisio Blanco Rodriguez, and
17-year-old Enrique Lozada. The latter is the son of Luis Enrique Lozada
Igarza who was arbitrarily arrested on April 9th. His arrest was what
led to the massive strike by UNPACU activists. Now, the health of all
the strikers is getting worse.

Anyer Antonio Blanco Rodriguez, a youth activist from UNPACU, published
various messages on Twitter (@anyerantoniobla) detailing the situation.

"The general health of the hunger strikers is critical", read one
message written by Blanco Rodriguez.

In an audio published by "Radio Republica" Anyer points out that the
three hunger strikers have been taken to the same hospital where Wilman
Villar Mendoza was, while Luis Enrique Lozada has been confined to the
same exact cell in the Aguadores Prison of Santiago where Villar was
tortured and taken to his death. Wilman Villar was a political prisoner
who died after a lengthy hunger strike in early 2012.

Recently, other strikers have also been taken to hospitals, as was the
case of Lady in White Adriana Nunez Pascual and the activists from
Holguin, Franklin Peregrino del Toro and Pedro Leiva Gongora.

There is much worry about the health of the strikers, especially the
young Enrique Lozada. In a recent video published by UNPACU he said that
he is willing to take his protest, for the liberation of his father, "to
the final consequences".

"We need the solidarity of all Cuban, inside and outside of the island",
expressed Blanco Rodriguez.

http://translatingcuba.com/child-hunger-striker-close-to-death/