Through this blog and other social media, I have had the good fortune of corresponding with several former prisoners of conscience in the Group of 75, those journalists, human rights activists and other dissidents imprisoned during the Cuban "black spring" of 2003.
In each instance, I have been struck by their graciousness and the strength of their courage and character. In jail, they suffered the worst tortures imaginable and for most of them, leaving prison in 2010-11 was followed by forced exile from their homeland.
Yet not once have I detected any bitterness or regret.
Pablo Pacheco Avila, now 41, is one of the youngest members of the Group of 75, sentenced to 20 years in prison because of his work as an independent journalist.
While in jail, and with the supporters of friends on the outside, Pacheco started a blog in which he recounted the horrors experienced by him and other prisoners. Along with Yoani Sanchez's Generation Y and other blogs, Voices Through The Bars is an example of how despite numerous and apparently insurmountable obstacles, Cubans have adapted new technologies to break the Castro regime's embargo on information about the reality of life on the island.
Pacheco now lives in exile in Miami, and he is still blogging.
Recently, he answered five questions from Uncommon Sense:
During your imprisonment, you sufferered various illnessess and numerous tortures delivered by your captors. How is your health?
In prison, I began to suffer from arterial hypertension, gastritis, migraines, renal ptosis, a knee dislocation, arthritis. I was a healthy man when I entered prison. The worst torture was that they sent me to prison for reasons of conscience more than 350 kilometers from home with family visits every three months and conjugal visits every five. Add to this the violation of correspondence, isolation in punishment cells, etc.
When you were released from prison, you took exile in Spain and now live in Miami. What has been the most significant adjustment you have had to make during your time in exile?
I left with my wife and 11-year-old son for Spain on July 12, 2010, and a year later reached Miami with my family. The most significant adjustment has been adapting to the real world. After more than seven years in captivity, life seems unreal away from your environment, your homeland, your habits, your friends. It has been a 180-degree turn.
Yet I thank God for this change. My life has chaged forthe better. I am free man with my family. I have a decent job and live like a human being. And from time to time, I can help my brothers in struggle on the island. So things are better.
While you were in prison and with the help of supporters, you were able to start a blog in which you related your experiences behind bars, and in exile you also have a blog. What role do independent journalists and bloggers have in the continuing struggle for freedom in Cuba?
Look, the power of human solidarity is amazing, is unpredictable. Human solidarity penetrated the bars where the owners of hatred and intolerance in Cuba placed us. It broke borders and our cause is recognized like never before. The blog http://vocescubanas.com/voztraslasrejas/ served to strip the prison system from within, so that every human rights violation was reported first-hand and that the common criminals saw in us a protective shield. Plus many of them, with our help, learned to denounce what they saw.
The role of bloggers and independent journalists is fundamental. Remember that information is power. What they do is inform the world of the harsh reality in which the average Cuban lives, a reality that the regime keeps hidden with all its might. But the strength of freedom will end up destroying the tentacles of the dictatorship. We should support bloggers and independent journalists, help them. They are part of the civil society emerging on the island. That civil society will soon reach what we most want, freedom for Cuba. But without our support, it cannot do much. Remember that we are capable of reaching to where we are pushing. We are one people, them and us. We are only divided by the sea and a 52-year dictatorship.
What are your hopes and expectations for the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Cuba?
The pope's visit could be a mixed blessing, especially for the regime. We remember the shouts of freedom during the Mass celebrated in the Cuban capital when Pope John Paul II visited the island (in 1998). Today, there exist other conditions. We have new technologies and spaces of freedom achieved in the past decade.
I am certain that the dictatorship will deploy a large police operation across the island against the peaceful opposition. But it is the people who can lead by demanding freedom. For Cuban democrats, this visit by the holy pontiff might provide the oxygen they need to tilt the balance, to push harder. It could be a box of surprises.
What is one thing Americans can do to support the cause of freedom in Cuba and contribute to the demise of the Castro dictatorship?
Friend, the best thing that the American people can do to support those who want freedom for Cuba is to understand what has happened to our island. The people of the United States have nevered suffered a totalitarian system. They don't know first-hand what a dictatorship is, and I admire them for that. With their voice, they can be very helpful in breaking the chains of oppression. Support Cuban democrats and demand that their politicians support the peaceful opposition.
For Pacheco's responses in Spanish, read below the fold.
1. Durante su encarcelamiento, que sufrió varias enfermedades y de diversas torturas administrado por sus captores. ¿Cómo está su salud?
R En la cárcel comencé a padecer de Hipertension Arterial,Gastritis,Migraña,tosis Renal, luxación múltiples de una rodilla,artritis,era un hombre sano al entrar a la cárcel.La peor tortura fue que me enviaran a la cárcel por motivos de conciencia,a mas de 350 km de mi hogar y visitas cada 3 meses y pabellones conyugales cada 5,a esto se suma la violación de la correspondencia,el aislamiento en celdas de castigo,etc.
2. Cuando fueron liberados de la prisión, que se exilió en España y ahora vive en Miami. ¿Cuál ha sido el ajuste más significativo que ha tenido que hacer durante su tiempo en el exilio?
R Salí junto a mi esposa e hijo de 11 años para España el 12 de julio del 2010,un año después llegue a Miami con mi familia.El ajuste mas significativo ha sido adaptarme a un mundo real, después de mas de 7 años en cautiverio la vida te parece irreal y en un mundo fuera de tu entorno,lejos de tu patria,tus costumbres,tus amigos,en fin un giro de 180 º,aun así doy Gracias a Dios por este giro,mi vida ha cambiado para bien,soy un hombre libre y junto a los míos,tengo un trabajo decente y vivo como un ser humano y de vez en vez puedo ayudar a mis hermanos de lucha en la isla,en fin los ajustes han sido para bien.
3. Mientras que todavía en la cárcel y con la ayuda de simpatizantes, que fueron capaces de iniciar un blog en el que relató sus experiencias tras las rejas, y en el exilio también tiene un blog. ¿Qué papel desempeñan los periodistas y blogueros independientes tienen en la continua lucha por la libertad en Cuba?
R Mira el poder de la solidaridad humana es increíble,es impredecible,la solidaridad humana llego a penetrar los barrotes en que nos metieron los dueños del odio y la intolerancia en Cuba,traspasaron fronteras y nuestra causa se conoció como nunca antes,el blog http://vocescubanas.com/voztraslasrejas/ sirvió para desnudar el sistemacarcelario desde dentro,para que cada violación de los derechos humanos se supiera de primera mano y los reos comunes vieron en nosotros un escudo protector,ademas muchos aprendieron a d denunciar con nuestra ayuda,para eso sirvió el blog también.E l papel de los blogueros y Periodistas independientes es fundamenta,recuerda que información es poder y eso el lo que ellos hacen informar al mundo la cruda realidad que vive el cubano de a pie,una realidad que el régimen oculta con todas sus fuerzas,pero la fuerza de la libertad termina destruyendo los tentáculos de la dictadura,debemos apoyar a los blogueros y periodistas independientes,ayudarlos,ellos son parte dela sociedad civil que emerge en la isla,esa sociedad civil que pronto alcanzara lo que mas deseamos,la libertad de Cuba,pero sin nuestro apoyo no pueden avanzar mucho, recuerda que seremos capaces de llegar hasta donde nosotros empujemos,somos un solo pueblo,ellos y nosotros,solo nos divide,el mar y una dictadura de 52 años.
4. ¿Cuáles son sus esperanzas y expectativas sobre la próxima visita del Papa Benedicto XVI a Cuba?
R La visita del Papa puede ser un arma de doble filo,principalmente para el régimen,recordemos los gritos de libertaden la misa celebrada en la capital cubana cuando visito la isla Juan Pablo II,hoy existen otras condiciones,tenemos a favor las nuevas tecnologías y los espacios de libertad alcanzado en la ultima década,tengo la certeza que la dictadura va a desplegar un gran operativo policial en toda la isla contra los opositores pacíficos pero es el pueblo el que puede dar el protagonismo exigiendo libertad y para los demócratas cubanos esta visita del santo pontífice puede significar un oxigeno para la cúpula en el poder,en fin la balanza se inclinara para el lado que sea capaz de empujar con mas fuerza,es una verdadera caja de sorpresa.
5. ¿Qué es una cosa que los estadounidenses pueden hacer para apoyar la causa de la libertad en Cuba y contribuir a la desaparición de la dictadura de Castro?
R Amigo la mejor ayuda que puede dar el pueblo norteamericano para apoyar a los que queremos la libertad de Cuba es comprender lo que en nuestra isla ha pasado,el pueblo de los EEUU nunca han sufrido de un sistema totalitario,no saben en carne propia que es una dictadura y los admiro por eso,ellos con su voz pueden ayudar mucho para romper las cadenas de la opresión,apoyar a los demócratas cubanos,exigir a sus políticos el apoyo a los opositores pacíficos.
From: Uncommon Sense by Marc MasFerrer
Muy buena entrevista, felicidades Pablo Pacheco.
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