The Cuban Democratic Liberal Party, an internal opposition movement which unmasks, as a means of political struggle, the true intentions of the government propaganda machine, issues the following public declaration:
[1] We regard the above-cited official document to be manipulative, in that it defines the Cuban dilemma as a conflict between the governments of Cuba and the U.S..
This perspective is a gross distortion of the truth. What the Cuban people are truly grappling with is the continued effects of living under a totalitarian system which denies us our civil liberties, which politically conditions our rights as citizens, and which for 38 years has been incapable of bringing about real economic and social progress within the framework of a democratic society.
[2] We reiterate once again that true sovereignty lies in the People. Cuba is therefore not a sovereign nation.
Cuba has a government which for more than three decades has tried to unjustly destroy the nation's economic potential and has converted it's differences with the US government (there are no differences between the Cuban and American peoples) into a national vendetta.
The Cuban people will reclaim their national sovereignty when authentic, democratic institutions are re-established throughout the nation. Only then will the people be able to express their genuine will, within the framework of the basic liberties which today we lack.
[3] We denounce that the regime is forcibly circulating this document, demanding that each citizen adhere his / her name to it. Though they claim that signing the document is "strictly voluntary", anyone familiar with our situation is acquainted with the coercive methods which the State employs in our neighborhoods, work centers and schools to extract complete compliance.
The government will present this signed document to the world as a "popular plebiscite", falsely claiming the support of the masses. This fraudulent process is a mockery of true plebiscites: a citizen's refusal to comply with such campaigns is recorded on his/her permanent record, maintained by State intelligence. Once marked in this manner, the individual is at risk of losing their job and educational opportunities and of being permanently black-listed as "politically unreliable".
[4] The Cuban Liberal Democratic Party considers that a true plebiscite would be when the national authorities and the Communist Party leadership have the political will to allow the people, without political coercion, economic pressures or preconditions, to freely choose at the voting booth between freedom and continued slavery.
To our fellow Cubans we wish to express that the true "Mambises" of the 20th century are those who refuse to cooperate with our oppressors and who raise their voices to reclaim the freedom which we all desire, and which is ours by right.
Signed by Hector Maceda Valdes under the authority of the National Executive Committee of the Liberal Democratic Party
CubaNet does not require sole
rights from its contributors.
We authorize the
reproduction and distribution of this article as long as the
source is credited.
CubaNet no reclama exclusividad
de sus colaboradores.
Autorizamos y agradecemos la
reproduccion de este material informativo, siempre que se
acredite la fuente.