Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Takes House Floor to Defend Cuban Democracy Activist

With the Castro regime threatening to charge democracy activist Gustavo Pérez Silverio as a terrorist, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., one of the leading congressional Republican voices on foreign affairs, took to the House floor on Thursday. 

“I rise this morning in support of Gustavo Pérez Silverio – a historian in Cuba who has had to endure continued threats from Castro’s state security forces," Ros-Lehtinen said. “This week, Castro’s thugs threatened Gustavo Pérez Silverio by telling him that he would be prosecuted for terrorist activities, but his only crime was to support activism and engagement in Cuban civil society.  That is not a crime -- but this is not the first time he has had to endure these threats.

“Last year, Gustavo issued statements, while in the U.S., about the current difficult situation in Cuba for human rights,” Ros-Lehtinen added. “But when he returned to the island he learned that he lost his job as a professor at the university where he was teaching. This is another attempt by the Castro regime to silence peaceful opposition leaders and we cannot let this continue.

“What is happening to Gustavo, happens to dozens of Cubans every day,” Ros-Lehtinen said in conclusion. “Innocent but brave dissidents who try to speak the truth about the human rights violations occurring in Cuba – violations that go unpunished due to the undeserved concessions given to the Castro brothers by this administration. So, let’s stand with the oppressed, the brave dissidents like Gustavo Pérez Silverio, and not stand with their oppressor, the Castro regime.”

Ros-Lehtinen has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba.