IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 8 ENGLISH | Page 83

Just two days before Obama's arrival, I travelled to Havana. From that moment until now, I have not been able to sit down to write even a single note. Due to the visit of the US president, much press in the free world has been interested in learning about the Cuban reality, the political prisoners, the repression against the Ladies in White, and other peaceful human rights activists. The Castro regime has increased repression before, during, and after the visit, being frightened by the rising of popular discontent and public protests. This situation keeps on affecting us and keeping us busy. I had to pay attention to dozens of activists who were visiting me at our headquarters in Havana. I cannot always stay in our capital city and other provinces; very often the political police apprehend me and forcibly take me back to my hometown. On Friday 25th, I returned to Santiago de Cuba, where dozens of members, collaborators and supporters of our organization were anxiously waiting for me. They wanted to know how our meeting with the charismatic president of the most admired nation by our people had developed. I went out on Saturday, early in the morning, with dozens of UNPACU activists to demand freedom for the political prisoners and respect for the human rights. More than hundred fifty of us were arrested. Some people mistakenly believe that the repression increases with the new US policy toward the Castro's regime, but it is not true. Repression increases due to the growth of the people discontent and the pro-democracy activism. Neither Obama´s policy nor anyone else outside Cuba can put an end to the repression by the dictatorship, except through a military invasion. And the latter is not something that a decent person wants. Only the people of Cuba can wipe out the tyranny, but the US president can help us in our struggle with his visit and his policies. There is so little left to say about the visit; much has been said already. Listening to the point of views of many compatriots and also considering the worldwide impact and the moment that our country is living, I would summarize this visit as the most important and impressive that we have ever had in Cuba. For nearly a week, in a country where almost all time and energies are devoted to the struggle for life as immediate survival, many people are looking for videos on the conversation and subsequent meeting of Obama with the popular humorous character Panfilo, as well as on the meeting of the supportive President with thirteen members of the peaceful internal opposition. Many people remark the nervousness and foolishness showed by Raúl Castro after being questioned about political prisoners by a CNN reporter. Obama's popularity in Cuba, already very high, multiplied during his three days in our neighborly nation. In contrast, even the very few genuine supporters of Raúl Castro feel angry about how bad he looked. The speech lived up to what millions of Cubans are expecting. Cuban men and women are convinced that the democratization of our country is the responsibility of Cubans, but they always appreci- 83