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Statement by President Clinton

Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jorge Mas Canosa, chairman of the Advisory Board for Cuban Broadcasting and long-time champion of a free Cuba.

It was Jorge's vision which ultimately led to the creation of Radio Marti by Congress enacting the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act of 1983, to encourage the communication of accurate information and ideas to the people of Cuba. He served as chairman of the Advisory Board from its inception.

Jorge was a born leader and organizer, whose tenacity, strength of conviction and passion I greatly admired. He galvanized his community, his adopted country and people around the world for the cause of freedom and democracy in Cuba. We have lost a forceful voice for freedom in Cuba and elsewhere, but his dream lives on. He will be missed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Irma, and his sons, Jorge, Juan and Jose. Hillary and I join the Cuban-American community and others around the world who care for the cause of freedom in Cuba in mourning his loss.

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald