"Demand for Another Cuba" Transcription (English Translation)

World Movement for Democracy
Seventh Global Assembly
Demand for Another Cuba
Cuba’s Pro-Democracy Movement
October 17, 2012

Antonio Rodiles [Director of Estado de SATS, National Coordinator for the Demand for Another Cuba]: We thank the World Movement for Democracy for the recognition of Cuban civil society and this excellent opportunity to speak to all the guests who are participating in this necessary forum. We also thank our Peruvian friends for facilitating this exchange and we would like to highlight the importance of our Latin American brothers and sisters supporting the efforts being made to return to Cuba to the concert of democratic nations. Unfortunately, we are unable accompany you in this event. As you all know, the Cuban government places severe limitations on the movements of its citizens, especially pro-democracy activists.

We want to take advantage of this great opportunity to introduce the campaign For Another Cuba, a citizen initiative to demand the Cuban government's ratification of the covenants of the United Nations, whose implementation could create a scenario for the transition to democracy. We can only thank you again and share with you the optimism we feel for the future of our country. Thank you very much.

Demand For Another Cuba

Iván Hernández Carillo [Independent unionist, former prisoner of conscience and member of the Group of 75]: I visualize a Cuba free, democratic, independent.

Felix Navarro [Democratic activist, former prisoner of conscience and member of the Group of 75]: Where each and every one of the citizens of this land can elect, for a determined period, of time a president

Yaremis Flores [Independent lawyer]: Where I can express my opinions without being persecuted

Veyzant Boloy [Independent lawyer]: To be able to practice law freely

Wilfredo Vallin [Independent lawyer, President of the Cuban Juridical Association]: A State of laws, where the judiciary is absolutely independent from the other branches of government

Alina Guzman [Independent journalist]: An artistic Cuba

Antonio Rodiles: Vast, colorful, and free

Angel Moya [Democratic activist, former prisoner of conscience and member of the Group of 75]: Prosperous, without political prisoners, and without persecution

Guillermo Fariñas [2010 Winner of the EU’s Sajarov Prize, democratic activist and former prisoner of conscience]: That we are capable of fraternizing, those who are oppressing us now and those of us who have been oppressed.

Jose Daniel Ferrer [Democratic activist, former prisoner of conscience and member of the Group of 75]: With the changes that remain to be done

Laritza Diversent [Independent lawyer]: I want another Cuba and a free Cuba.

Yoaxis Marcheco [Independent journalist]: A Cuba with less rhetoric, less talk and more action

Librado Linares [Former prisoner of conscience and member of the Group of 75]: Inserted in the context of globalization

Rebeca Monzon [Independent blogger]: A Cuba in which we can conjugate the verb “to choose” in all its tenses and forms.

Ciro Diaz [Guitarist for Porno Para Ricardo]: The Cuba I want for the future, is a Cuba with prosperity where we free ourselves of Windows and can use Macs, for example.

Yoani Sanchez [Internationally renowned blogger, Generación Y]: I dream that in a future Cuba, my grandchildren will tell me, "Grandma, don’t speak about Castroism anymore, no one remembers it."

Amaury Pacheco [Independent artist, member of Omni Zona Franca]: That the Cubans here and there can coexist

Reynaldo Escobar [Independent journalist and blogger, Coordinator of the program Razones Ciudadanas]: A people empowered, a nation difficult to govern

Ayler Rodriguez [Independent artist]: With awakened, responsible citizens, that will never again permit any dictatorship.

Boris Gonzalez [Historian]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Miriam Celaya [Independent blogger]: I signed the Demand, of course.

Camilo Olivares [Democratic activist]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Alfredo Fernandez [Independent artist]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Luis Eligio Perez [Independent artist, member of Omni Zona Franca]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Lia Villares [Independent blogger]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Julio Aleaga [Independent Journalist]: I signed the Demand for Another Cuba

Felix Navarro: Cuba must transform itself, for the good of all its citizens

Amaury Pacheco: I’m already in the Other Cuba, and I took the future and made it the present.

Librado Linares: I wish that the Cuba of the future resembled all Cubans