Recognizing Cuban Political Prisoners

Floor Speech

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to five former political prisoners who arrived in Miami on March 15, 2016: Vladimir Morera Bacallao, Jorge Ramirez Calderon, Yojarne Arce, Aracelio Riviaux Noa, and Niorvis Rivera Guerra. These men were victims of vicious acts at the hands of Castro's thugs. Vladimir, Jorge, and Aracelio were among those on the so-called ``list of 53'' who were released as part of the Obama-Castro deal. Although Castro released these 53 wrongfully incarcerated political prisoners, many, including Vladimir, Jorge, and Aracelio, were rearrested. While in prison, Vladimir began a hunger strike on October 9, 2015. In December, I expressed grave concern for his health as he lingered near death in a Cuban prison, and in January wrote a letter to President Obama expressing serious concern for Jorge and others re- arrested on the list of 53. The five political prisoners I mentioned here were promised safe haven in the U.S., but their families remain in Cuba, subject to abuse and harassment at the hands of the Castro regime. These activists are extremely worried about their families in Cuba who are suffering retaliation because they had the courage to speak out against an unjust government. The Castro regime holds the worst human rights record in our hemisphere, and its repression has escalated. The concessions that President Obama has provided to the Castro dictatorship has emboldened the Cuban people's oppressors, and they further harass, brutalize, and abuse courageous activists such as these five individuals. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues in Congress to condemn the egregious human rights abuses perpetrated against Cuban pro-democracy activists and their families, and demand the immediate, unconditional release of all political prisoners.

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