CUBAN BASED
HUMAN RIGHTS
GROUPS
[REF: binder part 20 ]
CUBAN-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS 1993
Organization Name:
ASOCIACION DE DEFENSA DE DERECHOS
HUMANOS
(Human Rights Defense Association)
Leader: Lazaro Loretto Perez Alonzo
Synopsis:
Group leadership opposes Torricelli Bill
Organization Name:
ASOCIACION DE PERIODISTAS
INDEPENDIENTES DE CUBA
(Independent Association of Cuban Media)
Leader: Nestor Baguer
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator.
Organization Name:
ASOCIACION MADRES POR LA DIGNIDAD
Leader: Paula Valiente
Prominent members: Angela Herrera
Synopsis:
A Cuban American National Foundation backed
organization.
Provides
taped information of human rights abuses through local radio
stations.
Organization Name:
ASSOCIATION IN DEFENSE OF POLITICAL
RIGHTS
(ADEPO)
Leader: Luis Alberto Pita Santos
Prominent members: Parada Antunez, Mercedes
Loreto, Lazaro
Reyes, Julian Jorge
Betancourt, Reynaldo
Rodriguez, Ramon
Cobas, Raul
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator. Opposes
Torricelli Bill
and
seeks dialogue with Cuba's government. Pita Santos is
presently
incarcerated
and serving a five year prison sentence. Parada
Antunez presently
under
arrest.
Organization Name:
ASSOCIATION FOR CONTINENTAL PEACE
(ASOPAZCO)
Leader: Mari Paz Martinez Nieto (Madrid)
Prominent members: Luis Zuniga (Miami)
Synopsis:
As active human rights organization. ASOPAZCO is
recognized by
many
international human rights organizations. Presently
seeking the
release
of several political prisoners with the assistance of
Amnesty
International.
Organization Name:
ASSOCIATION FOR FREE ART (APAL)
Leader: Garcia Alderete, Vladimir
Hornedo, David
Cuartas, Eduardo
Leyva Pena, Manuel J.
Fernandez Valdez, Juan G.
Lopez Montenegro, Omar
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator. Seeks to
dialogue with
Cuban
officials.
Organization Name:
CIVIC CUBAN FORUM
Leader: Felix Bonne Carcases
Prominent members: Rolando Roque Malherbe
Synopsis:
Backed by Cuban American National Foundation. Supports
Torrecelli
Bill.
Bonne-Carcases is presently serving a prison sentence.
Organization Name:
COMISION CUBANA PRO-DERECHOS HUMANOS
(Cuban Human Rights Commission)
Leader: Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz
Prominent Members:
Betancourt Morejon, Juan ... Yanes Pelletier,
Jesus
Valdes Santana, Aida ... Bofill, Ricardo (Miami)
Pacheco, Barbara ... Gonzalez, Rodolfo
Mayola, Rafael ... Moya Alfonso, David
Pena, Oscar ... Martinez Lara, Samuel
de Cespedes, Maria Esther (Miami)
Synopsis:
Group leadership opposes Torricelli Bill. Backed by
the Social
Democratic
Coordinator group, Sanchez Santa Cruz recently travelled
abroad in hope
of
gaining support for his movement, however, most of South
Florida's
Cuban
exiles have chastised Sanchez Santa Cruz and have branded
him as a
Castro
conspirator.
Organization Name:
COMITE AMIGOS DE LA PERESTROIKA
(Perestroika's Friends Committee)
Leader: Felix Fleitas Posada
Prominent members: Perez de Armas, Francisco
Synopsis:
Fleitas Posada and Perez de Armas were original members of
the Popular
Socialist
Party in the 1960's. The new group seeks a political
opening and
its
backed by the Social democratic Coordinator.
Organization Name:
COMITE CUBANO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS
Leader: Sebastian Arcos Cabazon
Prominent members:
Arcos Bergnes, Gustavo Arcos Cazabon,
Gustavo
Arcos Cazabon, Maria Bofill, Ricardo
Gonzalez, Rodolfo Hidalgo, Ariel
(Miami)
Machado, Tete (Miami)
Synopsis:
Possibly the most respected of all human rights movements
within
Cuba.
This group has been recognized by most international human
rights
organizations.
The group seeks a peaceful transition of government,
however, refuses
to
dialogue Cuba's future with representatives of the present
government.
The group's leader is presently incarcerated in Cuba, and
many
worldwide
public figures have proceeded to nominate him as Nobel Prize
candidate.
Gustavo Arcos Cazabon, son of Gustavo Arcos Bergnes,
recently travelled
to
Miami and is presently involved in local human rights
issues.
Organization Name:
COMITE DEMOCRATICO CUBANO
Leader: Angela Herrera
Synopsis:
Member group of the Cuban Democratic Coalition
Organization Name:
CUBAN DEMOCRATIC CONVERGENCE
Leader: Umbrella group
Synopsis:
This convergence, unlike the Cuban Democratic Coalition,
seeks to
remedy
Cuba's governmental problems by conducting a dialogue
with
representatives
from Castro's government. The listed groups receive
most of their
international
backing from Ramon Cernuda and his Social Democratic
Coordinator
group.
The coalition is formed by the following:
1. Comision Cubana Pro-Derechos Humanos
2. Harmony Movement
3. Criterio Alternativo
4. Liberty and Faith
5. Association in Defense of Political Rights
6. Opening of the Island Project
7. Followers of Mella
8. Free Art Movement
Organization Name:
CUBAN DEMOCRATIC COALITION
Leader: Zuniga, Luis ( Miami)
Herrera Carrillo, Angela
Aspillaga Lombard, Tomas
Rubio Balbin, Pedro
Reyes, Pablo
Synopsis:
The Coalition was brought together by the Cuban American
National
Foundation
in an effort to inspire political changes within the island
of
Cuba.
Coalition goals differ sharply from those of other
Cuban-based
dissident
organizations. Unlike pro-dialogue forces within the
island, the
Coalition
seeks to oust Castro's government and the removal of all
communist
presence
from future government participation. Luis Zuniga, a
Cuban exile,
also
leads the local group known as ASOCIACION POR LA PAZ
CONTINENTAL
(ASOPAZCO).
The bellow listed groups form the Coalition:
1. Cuban Pacifist Movement for Solidarity and Peace
2. Civic Forum
3. National Unity Committee
4. Jose Marti Human Rights Commission
5. Women's Youth Committee for Solidarity and Democracy
6. Movimiento Integracionista Cubano
76. Comite Democratico Camagueyano
8. Workers General Union
Organization Name:
CUBAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (30TH OF
NOVEMBER)
Leader: Jesus Canouga (Canoura)
Synopsis:
Believed to be the first political party to come into
existence in Cuba
since
the island's government adopted a communist ideology.
The Cuban Democratic Party is inspired by former
revolutionaries Frank
Pais
and Jose Antonio Echevarria. The group maintains the
same
democratic
principles which were originally established by the 30th of
November
Movement
in 1960. The aforementioned movement was originally
founded by
workers
and leaders that participated on the July 26th attack at the
Moncada
Barracks
and later became disillusioned with Castro's communist
agenda.
The Cuban government has not recognized the newly founded
party and has
adopted
a hard line stand against all groups that are not considered
mainstream.
The Cuban Democratic Party is an extension of the subversive
group 30th
of
November.
The group opposes Fidel Castro's one party system and seeks
to bring
about
a government that will respect all basic human rights.
Organization Name:
CUBAN WORKERS DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION
Leader: Juan Guarino Martinez Guillen
Synopsis:
Martinez Guillen recently imprisoned and charged with
counter
revolutionary
propaganda.
Organization Name:
CUBAN NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS COUNCIL
Leader: Francisco Chaviano
Synopsis:
Group leadership opposes Torricelli Bill
Organization Name:
CUBAN PACIFIST MOVEMENT FOR
SOLIDARITY/PEACE
Leader: Daniel Azpillaga Lombard
Synopsis:
This organization is one of six Cuban-based human rights
groups which
are
backed by the Cuban American National Foundation. The
organization
has conducted demonstrations in front of Cuba's notorious
Villa Marista
Police
Station and its leaders have professed their desire for a
complete
reconstruction
of Cuba's ruling government.
Organization Name:
CRITERIO ALTERNATIVO
(Alternative Criterion)
Leader: Maria Elena Cruz Varela
Prominent members:
Aracelio Pomar, Jose ... Aguado Chavez, Gabriel
Herrera, Pastor ... Baro, Elvira
Aguirre, Eliezer ... Matos, Huber Luis
Velazquez Medina, Fernando ... Pomar Montalvo, Jorge
Luque Escalona, Roberto (Miami) ... Serpa, Victor
Synopsis:
Cruz Varela a poet and past recipient of many literature
awards, defied
the
philosophies of totalitarians and embarked in efforts to
create a new
political
opening within Cuba. As a result, Cruz Varela was
branded an
enemy
of the state and later imprisoned by Castro's
government.
Recently,
as a result of international pressures, Castro's government
has decided
to
release her from prison.
Organization Name:
FOLLOWERS OF MELLA
Leader: Jorge Quintana
Synopsis:
Backed by the Social Democratic Coordinator. Opposes
Torricelli
Bill.
Seeks dialogue with Cuba's government.
Organization Name:
GENERAL WORKERS UNION OF CUBA
Leader: Rafael Gutierres Santos
Prominent members: Corp Lerras, Lazaro
Manrique Zulueta, Manuel
Cuesta Collazo, Lazaro
Manuel Gomez, Carlos
Martinez Martinez, Maria
Synopsis:
The General Workers Union of Cuba is composed of dissidents
who recent
Cuba's
single workers union (CTC). Group members have
denounced
government
conditions which they view as stringent, and have called for
an opening
that
will provide improved benefits to all Cuban workers.
As with all
groups
which profess a difference of opinion than that of the
state, the
General
Workers Union has not been recognized by the Cuban
government.
Organization Name:
GRUPO CUBANO SOCIALISTA DEMOCRATA
(Cuban Socialist Democratic Group)
Leader: Rolando Prats Paes
Prominent members: Roca Antunez, Vladimiro
Romero Rivero Violeta
Rodrigo, Gladys
Baguez, Nestor E.
Marquez Ravelo Bernardo
Synopsis:
Group leadership oppose Torricelli Bill
Organization Name:
HARMONY MOVEMENT
Leader: Yndamiro Restano
Prominent members: Narciso Michelena, Romulo
Synopsis:
Seeks to promote a dialogue with Cuba's government
officials.
Backed
by Social Democratic Coordinator.
Organization Name:
JOSE MARTI HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
Leader: Hubert Jerez Garcia
Prominent members: Rey Rodriguez, Sergio
Synopsis:
Jerez Garcia founded the Jose Marti Human Rights Commission
along with
the
Association of Free Press group in 1988. In 1989,
Jerez Garcia
was
imprisoned by Cuban authorities for a period of 18
months. Upon
serving
his sentence, Jerez Garcia was allowed to travel to the U.S.
This organization is backed by the Cuban American National
Foundation
and
it supports Torrecelli Bill.
Organization Name:
LIBERTY AND FAITH
Leader: Maria Celina Rodriguez
Prominent members: Dorta, Pedro Jorge
Celina Rodriguez, Mara
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator. Seeks
dialogue with
Cuba's
government representatives.
Organization Name:
MOVIMIENTO CRISTIANO DE LIBERACION
(Christian Liberation Movement)
Leader: Paya Sardinas, Osvaldo
Rodriguez Munoz, Enrique
Valdes Rosado, Maria
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator. Seeks
dialogue with
Cuba's
Government representatives.
Organization Name:
MOVIMIENTO INTEGRACIONISTA CUBANO
Leader: Luis Octavio Ibarra
Synopsis:
Member group of Cuban Democratic Coalition.
Organization Name:
MOVIMIENTO MACEISTA POR LA DIGNIDAD
Leader: Guillermina Acuna Herrera
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator.
Organization Name:
NATIONAL UNITY COMMITTEE
Leader: Omar del Pozo
Prominent members: Marti, Fausto
Reyes, Pablo
Castaneda, Hector
Synopsis:
Backed by the Cuban American National Foundation.
Maintains close
contact
with Montreal human rights activist Antonio Tang.
Organization Name:
OPENING OF THE ISLAND PROJECT
Leader: Jose Luis Pujol
Prominent members: Jorge Quintana
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator. Opposes
Torricelli Bill
and
seeks to dialogue with Castro's government.
Organization Name:
ORGANIZACION JUVENIL MARTIANA
Leader: Luis Felipe Lorens Nodal
Synopsis:
Associated to local exile human rights leader Ariel Hidalgo
Lorens
Nodal
presently under arrest.
Organization Name:
PARTIDO CIVICO DEMOCRATICO
(Civic Democratic Party)
Leader: Rosa Jimenez
Prominent members: Perez Matos, Rolando
Synopsis:
Backed by Social Democratic Coordinator.
Organization Name:
RECONCILIACION NACIONAL DE DERECHOS
HUMANOS
(National Reconciliation of Human Rights)
Leader: Rene del Poso
Synopsis:
Group leadership opposes Torricelli Bill
Organization Name:
SEGUIDORES DE OCHOA
(Ochoa's Followers)
Synopsis:
Group of dissidents from Holguin Providence. A total
of 20 group
members
were recently sentenced to prison sentences oscillating
between seven
months
and 13 years as a result of counter- revolutionary
activities.
Organization Name:
WOMEN'S YOUTH COMMITTEE FOR
SOLIDARITY AND
DEMOCRACY
Leader: Yamilet Hernandez Hernandez
Synopsis:
Backed by Cuban American National Foundation. Supports
Torrecelli
Bill.
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1998-2014 Cuban Information Archives. All Rights
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