Today, March 18, 2006, marks the third anniversary of the “Black Spring”, o Primavera Negra, when some 75 peaceful Cubans were detained by the state security and later sentenced up to 30 years in Castro’s jails for the only crime of speaking out their mind and saying openly that they want free elections and democracy in Cuba.

Source: Associated Press .

During these three years, much has changed, including – for the worst – a change in the European attitude toward Cuba. The unexpected election ( by Al Qaeda’s help) of Spanish PM Zapatero has been without any doubt very negative for the Cuban freedom fighters. Zapatero’s policy of appeasing Castro has led to a new wave of repression all over Cuba. Not only are most of the 75 political prisoners still in jail, but some of those who were freed with some condition for health problems are either forced to leave Cuba or facing threats to be thrown in jail again. This is the case of Oscar Espinosa Chepe, independent economist, and Jorge Oliveira Castillo, independent journalist.

The others, such as Manuel Vazquez Portal, Claudia Marquez Linares (whose interview I made with her will be posted very soon), Raul Rivero, Osvaldo Vales, etc., are now living in exile but with their heart deeply rooted in Cuba.

Source: Associated Press

Since last year, Castro has mobilized his thugs to hold repudiation acts in front of the houses of the members of opposition groups. These thugs, most of which are not civilians, but members of the repressive governamental militias, are very violent and aggressive and some of these acts led to physical attacks on dissidents that resulted in some of them being wounded.

But, in what many are calling acts of civil desobedience, most of the ordinary Cubans, from workers to neighbors of the harassed dissidents, are rejecting to participate in such vile attacks, even if that might bring them directly in jail or lose their job.

Reporters Without Borders writes that in spite of the repression, the independent press refuses to remain in the dark.

There are lots of examples of valiant acts of resistance in face of repression, and mentioning all of them would take hours. But one of the most impressive is the hunger and thirst strike that Guillermo Farinas Hernandez, president of Cubanacan Press, has decided to start more than 1 months ago in protest against the lack of free information and free access to the Internet for all the Cubans. Hernandez has sent an open letter to the opposition in the island asking them to go ahead even after his likely death. The letter can be read, in Spanish, here. Also, you can listen to Guillermo’s messages via Radio Mart???? from the hospital he is in, here.

Three years later, we have to send our message to the Ladies in White, the political prisoners and all the opposition movements inside Cuba, making it clear that we are on their side! Basta Ya! Para Cuba Ya Es Hora!