Havana, December 4, 2006

Mr. Lech Walesa

Warsaw, Poland

Dear Sir,

I have received with great pleasure your message. In your words I can feel the hand of a very brave man that contributed to the end of totalitarianism in your nation. That is a high honor for a Cuban dissident that for 14 years has invested all his efforts in the attempt for democracy to be something tangible and not a term relegated to the nebulous scope of utopias.

Today Cuba is a jail, a symbol of extremism reminiscent of the Stalinist era. More than 300 prisoners of conscience and political prisoners languish in the depth of the dungeons for the act of demanding the full exercise of their fundamental rights.

The Solidarity movement is an inspirational element for the majority on this island who promote a transition toward a form of government adjusted toward real participation of the people in addition with the possibility to not be punished for practicing freedoms in just measure.

In the almost two years that I was in prison for exercising journalism at the margins of official censorship, I was able to see the full extent of the hate of the authorities that have  implemented a type of concentration camp for 48 years.

Despite the setbacks, resentment has not taken over my conscience. On the contrary, I am convinced that I am partly correct about the need to change the course and found a nation without discrimination against any affiliations.

I am motivated to hear about the imminent creation of a Polish Committee of Solidarity with Cuba and of the conference taking place that focuses on the Cuban situation.

Although I cannot be present in person, I send to you and all of those involved in this noble task my warmest gratitude and the embrace that is reserved for the grandest of friends.

Jorge Olivera Castillo, Independent journalist and ex-prisoner of conscience

* Translation into English from the original Spanish