Intelectuales y artistas demandan al presidente de Cuba libertad para los presos políticos y respeto a los derechos humanos

Cerca de 250 intelectuales y artistas de varios países firmaron una carta pública para exigir al presidente de Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, la liberación de los presos políticos y el respeto de los derechos humanos en la isla, en particular, tras el estallido social acontecido el 11 de julio último.

Entre los firmantes cubanos se encuentran la artivista Tania Bruguera, otros artistas visuales como Sandra Ceballos, Sandra Ramos, Flavio Garciandía, el músico Paquito D´Rivera, los cineastas Manuel Marzel y Fausto Canel, el ajedrecista Lázaro Bruzón y los escritores Abilio Estévez, Gustavo Pérez-Firmat, Daína Chaviano, Marcial Gala o Ramón Fernández-Larrea.

La nómina incluye figuras internacionales como el filósofo español Fernando F. Savater, el actor cubanoestadounidense Andy García, el psicólogo y escritor canadiense Steven Pinker, y los escritores Achy Obejas (cubanoamericana), Lina Meruane (Chile), Hans Christoph Buch (Alemania), Edmundo Paz Soldán (Bolivia), Antonio Ortuño (México), Rosa Montero (España), entre otros.

A continuación, reproducimos el texto íntegro de la misiva, en español e inglés.

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Sr. Presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez:

Con esperanza y preocupación hemos observado las masivas protestas del pasado 11 de julio en Cuba. Esperanza porque una parte significativa del pueblo cubano por primera vez dejó oír su voz al unísono exigiendo la libertad y los derechos de los que hasta ahora han carecido y porque lo hicieron de forma pacífica y al mismo tiempo clara y firme. Sin embargo, hemos visto con preocupación y disgusto la respuesta brutal que usted y el gobierno que representa han dado a tales manifestaciones, negándose a oír los sencillos reclamos de su pueblo y llamando directamente a la violencia y la represión de unos ciudadanos contra otros.

Sr. Presidente, no se esfuerce en presentar a aquellos que protestaron como mercenarios al servicio de Estados Unidos. Reconozca en esas protestas la voz de un pueblo hastiado de falta de libertades, de mal gobierno y de estrecheces de todo tipo. No niegue que esas decenas de miles que protestaron en toda la isla son parte de un pueblo que ya no se identifica con el proyecto que propone y que se atreve a decirlo en voz alta pese a los riesgos demostrados que entraña hacerlo. Desde el pasado 11 de julio no tiene sentido hablar de unión monolítica entre su gobierno y su pueblo como no tiene sentido negarles la patria a los que protestan y ofrecerles en cambio muerte, represión y silencio.

No se engañe ni nos trate de engañar. Es hora de que Cuba avance por caminos diferentes a los que usted y su gobierno les han trazado a los cubanos. Para ello es imprescindible que se les respete su derecho a manifestarse y a elegir su destino, en lugar de buscar nuevas maneras de reprimir al pueblo cubano y silenciarlo. Para demostrar su respeto por los derechos de sus compatriotas debe empezar por liberar al más de medio millar que a un mes de las protestas siguen en prisión o están siendo procesados por participar en ellas y, junto a ellos debe liberar a todos los cubanos que están en prisión por manifestar su desacuerdo con su gobierno. Si le importa tanto el pueblo cubano como la revolución que se hizo en su nombre empiece por escucharlo, por no reprimirlo cuando hable.

Sinceramente,

 

Mr. President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez,

With hope and concern, we observed the massive protests in Cuba on July 11. We watched with hope because for the first time, a significant portion of the Cuban people let their voices be heard in unison, demanding the freedom and rights they have so far lacked, and they did so peacefully, clearly, and firmly. However, we have watched with concern and disgust the brutal response that you and your government have imposed on such demonstrations, refusing to hear the simple demands of the Cuban people and calling directly for violence against the protesters.

Mr. President, do not attempt to portray those who protested as mercenaries in the service of the United States. Recognize that in those protests are the voices of people who are fed up with their lack of freedoms, bad government, and hardships of all kinds. Do not deny that those tens of thousands who protested throughout the island are Cuban citizens who no longer identify with the project you are proposing and who dare to say so out loud despite the proven risks involved in doing so. Since the protests of July 11, it makes no sense to speak of a monolithic union between your government and the Cuban people, just as it makes no sense to deny the homeland to those who protest and offer them death, repression, and silence instead.

Do not fool yourself or try to fool us. It is time for Cuba to move forward along a path different from the one that you and your government have laid out for the country. To do so, it is imperative that you respect Cubans’ right to demonstrate and choose their destiny, instead of seeking new ways to repress and silence your people. To demonstrate your respect for the rights of your compatriots, you must begin by releasing the more than half a thousand Cubans who, a month after the protests, are still in prison or are being prosecuted for participating in them. Along with them, you must release all Cubans who are in prison for expressing their disagreement with your government. If you care so much about the Cuban people and the revolution that was made in their name, begin by listening to them, and not repressing them when they speak.

Sincerely,

Tania Bruguera, artist

Rosa Montero, writer

Fernando F. Savater, philosophy professor (retired), writer

Andy García, actor

Steven Pinker, psychologist and writer

Edmundo Paz Soldán, writer

Antonio Ortuño, writer

Dan Perjovschi, artist

Dario Lopérfido, former Minister of Culture of Argentina

Paquito D’Rivera, musician

Juan Carlos Quintero-Herencia, writer/professor

Javier Gomá Lanzón, writer

Alberto Barrera Tyszka, writer

Alejandro de la Fuente, historian, professor

J.J. Armas Marcelo, novelist

Louis Franz Aguirre, composer

Keila Val de la Ville, writer

Manuel Díaz Martínez, poet

Flavio Garciandía, artist

Gustavo Pérez-Firmat, writer/profesor

Carlos Eire, historian, professor

Armando Lucas Correa, writer

Legna Rodríguez Iglesias, writer

Rolando Sánchez Mejías, writer

Mauricio-José Schwarz, writer, journalist

Hans Christoph Buch, writer

Daína Chaviano, writer

Juan Carlos Méndez Guedes, writer

Lina Meruane, writer

Marina Perezagua, writer

Carlos Manuel Alvarez, writer

Xavier Bonilla (Bonil), cartoonist

Achy Obejas, writer

Lucyna Gebert, professor

Irena G. Gross, historian, writer

Marta Petrusewicz, professor, historian

Krystyna Piotrowska, artist

Gustavo Acosta, artist

Humberto Calzada, artist

Joanna Olech, writer

Anda Rottenberg, art historian, writer

Mirosław Tryczyk, philosopher, writer

Joanna Tokarska-Bakir, professor, cultural antropologist

Gleyvis Coro Montanet, poet

María Elena Hernández, poet

Odette Alonso, poet

Mónica Baró, journarlist

Francisco Morán, writer

Néstor Díaz de Villegas, writer

María Susana Azzi, writer

Lili Rentería, actress

Carlos Cano Escribá, musician

Iván Acosta, playwright, filmmaker

Marcial Gala, writer

Jorge Luis Arzola, writer

Jesper Henrik Holmen, composer

Jossianna Arroyo-Martinez, professor

Ivette Rodríguez Santana, psychoanalyst

Nat Chediak, producer

Juan Miguel Pozo, artist

Jorge Ángel Pérez, writer

Rubén Ríos Ávila, writer/professor

Eduardo López-Collazo, researcher

Nancy Calomarde, professor

Cezanne Cardona, writer/professor

Yesenia Selier, researcher/ dancer

Kalí Rodríguez -Peña, musician

Amaury Gutierrez, músico

Irela Roldán, dance professor

Carlos Pintado, poet

Sonia Cornuchet, singer

Francisco Gattorno, actor

Amir Valle, writer

Sonia Labrador Rodríguez, professor

Carlos A. Aguilera, writer

Vanito Brown, musician

Roberto Tito Otero, documentalist and professor

Rafael Vilches Proenza, writer

Rubie M. Horton, lawyer

Nanne Timmer, professor/writer

Magdalena López, professor/writer

Carlos Pabón Ortega, writer/professor

Abilio Estévez, writer

José Lasaga Medina, philosophy professor

Jorge Brioso, writer

Ángel Esteban, writer

Jorge Ignacio Domíguez, editor

Cezary Łazarewicz, journalist

Ulises Gonzales, writer, editor

Jesús Miguel Díaz Álvarez, professor

Pablo Martín Ruiz, professor

Paul Firbas, professor

Ricardo Ramos Tremolada, writer

Yansi Pérez, professor

Angel Santiesteban, writer

Celia Pérez Ventura, professor

Yurién Ribot, professor

Dennys Matos Leyva, curator

Alejandro Hernández, engineer

Kahlila Chaar-Pérez, researcher, librarian, activist

Alfredo Triff, writer, musician, professor

Florencia Garramuño, professor

Yannelys Aparicio Molina, professor, writer

Álvaro Fernández Bravo, professor, researcher

Néstor E. Rodríguez, professor

Pablo Brescia, professor, writer

Alen Lauzán, cartoonist

Quetzal Acosta Maduro, journalist

Israel Ruiz Cumba, retired professor, poet

Benjamín Mayer Foulkes, psychoanalyst

Juan Carlos Rodríguez, professor

Roberto Poveda, musician

Margarita Pintado, associate professor

Ernesto Chao, filmmaker

Manuel Zayas, filmmaker

Lourdes Dávila, professor

Lazaro Bruzón, chess grandmaster

David D Omni, musician

Omar Mena (El Analista), rapper

Julio Llópiz Casal, artista

Maya Islas, poet

Kenneth Prewitt, professor

Robert Y. Shapiro, professor

Claribel Terre Morell, writer

Gustavo Rodríguez (Garrincha), cartoonist

Boris Larramendi, musician

Ivette Falcón, musician

Carmen Peláez, playwright

Mabel Cuesta, professor/writer

Eliecer Jiménez, filmmaker

Ernesto Fundora, filmmaker

Claudia Salazar, writer

Felipe Lázaro, editor, poet

Guillermo A. Belt, lawyer

José Manuel Martínez-Cañas, gallery owner

Geandy Pavón, artist

Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, professor

Gustavo Forero Quintero, writer

Marino Berigüete, writer

Armando Chaguaceda, sociologist, professor

Carlos Aníbal Alonso, editor, researcher

Hernán Milla, musician

Ani Mestre, journalist

Jorge Dalton, filmmaker

Ana Victoria Pérez (Bebé), actress

Myrka Dellanos, television and radio host, author

Leo Arocha, actress

Fausto Canel, filmmaker

Carlos Quintela, filmmaker

León Ichaso, filmmaker

Manuel Marzel, filmmaker

Carlos Lechuga, filmmaker

Lynn Cruz, actress

Klementyna Suchanow, writer, editor, activist

Ewa Karwan-Jastrzębska, writer

Sandra Ceballos, artist

Sandra Ramos, artist

Ariel Cabrera Montejo, artista

Armando Guiller, artist

Carlos Estevez, artist

Pedro Vizcaíno, artist

Sandra Cordero, artist

Douglas Arguelles, artist

Alexis Romay, writer

Rosario Pérez Cabañas, poet

Evelyn Ramón, composer, singer

Ernesto José Cañabate Reyes, psychiatrist

Lilo Vilaplana, filmmaker

Danuta Kuroń, activist, member of the trade union Solidarity

Jacek Kleyff, poet, composer, actor

Andrzej Titkow, filmmaker

Grzegorz Gauden, journalist, member of the trade union Solidarity

Anka Grupińska, journalist, writer, activist

Sergiusz Kowalski, sociologist, journalist, member of the trade union Solidarity

Eugeniusz Smolar, journalist, activist

Konstanty Gebert, journalist, activist, member of the trade union Solidarity

Anna Wolff-Powęska, professor/historian

Melissa Martínez, musician

Rubén Mendoza, publicist

Anna Kushner, translator

Ketty de la Iglesia, actress

Hugo Pezzini, writer

Angel M. Díaz, professor

Pedro Lázaro Suárez, guitarrist

Luis Alberto Mariño Fernández, violinist, composer

Judith Nemethy, professor

Aline Sánchez Rodríguez, dancer

Stefan Gerritsen, guitarrist

Catherine Veillon-Guilloux, writer

Ernesto Santana, writer

Alvaro Galmés Cerezo, architect

Higinio Marín Pedreño, professor

Mikołaj Łoziński, writer

Sarah Jacobson, professor

Niels Christian Rasmussen, composer

Clara Rico Oses, professor of musicology

Mathias Reumert, musician

Irina Escalante Chernova, associate professor

Fanny Alofs, singer

Arsenio Rodríguez Quintana, writer

Ramón Fernández-Larrea, writer

Luis Bofill, singer

Angel Delgado, artist

Miriam Celaya, journalist

Francisco Yobino, producer

Ricky Castillo, musician

Tomás Castellanos, communicator

Mayda Cuéllar, musician

Jorge Solino, filmmaker

Madelca Domínguez, editor

Enrique Del Risco, writer

Eglise Gutiérrez, opera singer

Javier Olondo, musician

Ester Fuchs, professor

Janet Batet, art historian

Camilo Venegas, writer

Alejandro Aguilar, writer

Alejandro González Acosta, historian

Meyken Barreto, art historian, curator

Jairo Alfonso, artista

Gilberto Ruiz Val, artist

Daniel Jordán, economist

María A. García, editor

Rolando Pérez, professor

Jacqueline Herranz, writer

Malva Flores, writer

María Padilla

Daylet Domínguez, professor

Manuel Barcia, historian, professor

Mari Rodríguez Ichaso, filmmaker

José Quiroga, profesor, writer

Nils Longueira, critic

Sergio Lerma

Laura Lerma

Pablo Lerma

Odalys Villa.

Ricardo Hermelo

Mariana Segovia

Ani Mestre

Graciela Guindlin

Omar Preza

Tomas Preza

David Morell

Claudia Peiro, journalist

Vivian Lofi

Alberto Lauro, poet