Tuesday November 25, 1997 16A The Herald

Remembering Jorge Mas Canosa

Jorge Mas Canosa's passing strikes at the heart of the exile. He died without seeing his life's work accomplished: A free Cuba. How many others have died over these past 39 years without setting foot on free Cuban soil? It hurts to see another exile die away from the land of his birth.

Mr. Mas Canosa was a man with flaws, like any other, but he loved his country. Unlike others who live comfortably in this nation, he was willing to risk his reputation and wealth for a free Cuba.

Friend and foe alike acknowledge that this man fought the good fight against Fidel Castro's tyranny and was the chief obstacle to Washington normalizing relations with him.

Mr. Mas Canosa will be remembered as a great Cuban patriot who sacrificed much for Cuba and who laid the foundation that we all need to build upon to make Cuba free.