Cuban Dissident Visits Houston, Says Nothing Has Changed In Cuba

Cuban Dissident Visits Houston, Says Nothing Has Changed In Cuba
August 16, 2013
by: Florian Martin

A Cuban dissidence leader visited Houston today to share developments in
his group's fight against the Castro regime with Cuban exiles here. It
was part of a multi-city tour during his first trip to the United States.

Guillermo Fariñas, also called "Coco," spoke to a group of about 40
Cuban exiles in downtown Houston. Fariñas has become known worldwide for
his many hunger strikes to protest the Communist regime in Cuba.

He's risked his life fasting 24 times since he decided to go against the
Castros. Speaking through an interpreter, the psychologist and
journalist says his hunger strikes have been successful in two ways.

"First of all, to be true to myself and to my conscience. And that is
clearly the most important thing for me, is to be true to myself. And
secondly, to let the world at large know about the Castro dictatorship
and about the horrors of the regime."

The interpreter is George Fowler, vice president of the Cuban American
National Foundation, which organized the event.

Fariñas says things have not gotten better since Fidel Castro's brother
Raul assumed power of the island state. He says only the way of
oppression has changed.

"Since Castro took power, Raul Castro has used paramilitary forces,
mobs, to control the population – as opposed to Fidel Castro, who would
throw you in jail or throw you in a prison or kill you."

Fariñas doesn't support loosening the United States' trade embargo or
travel restrictions with Cuba. He says Cuban-Americans should be allowed
to travel to Cuba so that they can give the people there uncensored
information about the world. But he's against anything that puts money
in the regime's pockets.

He says Cuban exile communities like the one here in Houston are
important in the fight against the Castros.

"The regime's effort has been to divide the people of Cuba from the
people in exile, and we're one people and it is very important that we
remember that and that we should not let their dictatorship divide us."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 6,500 Cubans live in
Houston.

Fariñas has been traveling the U.S. and Europe since May with the help
of the Cuban American National Foundation. He's only been able to leave
Cuba this year because of a recent change in the law that allows him and
others to travel outside the country. Even so, Fariñas says that law is
only supposed to give the impression that Cuba is becoming more open.

He says he's expecting the worst for when he returns to Cuba on Wednesday.

Source: "Cuban Dissident Visits Houston, Says Nothing Has Changed In
Cuba" -
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