From: ez000281@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Subject: Re: Effort on behalf of Ms Cruz Varela
Date: 7 Sep 92 05:05:50 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

[Aqui prepare tres borradores para inquirir por la informacion que necesitamos 
y empezar a mover la rueda la libertad en favor de Maria Elena.  No tento la 
direccion de Amnesty, pero las cartas a Bush y D'amato nos deberian ayudar a 
conseguir mas datos]


Date


Hon.  FULANDO DE TAL
Amnesty International
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear Mr. DE TAL:

It has come to my attention that poet and human rights activist Maria Elena 
Cruz Varela has been imprisoned by security forces in Cuba.  I understand that 
such action has been taken against Ms. Varela for having expressed political 
views which are contrary to those of the Cuban government.  Such views were 
expressed in a letter published in a New York Times editorial which was 
critical of Cuba's head of state, Mr. Fidel Castro.  I am herein attaching copy 
of such letter.

This letter was written on Sept. 27, 1991 by Ms. Cruz Varela, a prize winning 
Cuban poet and the leader of Criterio Alternativo, a human-rights group within 
Cuba.  It has come my attention that on Nov. 19, Ms. Cruz Varela was attacked 
in her apartment by government agents and forced, in the presence of her 
daughter, to eat some of her political writings. She was then dragged into the 
street where she was beaten and arrested for her human rights activities. It 
has been stated that she is now serving a two-year term in prison for having 
expressed her political beliefs.

I am asking you, as head of the prestigious organization which you preside, to 
advise me as to how I can proceed to request that Cuban authorities release 
this poet from the authorities which have taken her liberty away from her on 
account of her political beliefs.  I ask you to plea for the case of this 
prisoner which has done so much for the protection of human rights on the 
island of Cuba.  I do not know if Amnesty is already inquiring on this matter, 
but I am willing to do whatever is in my means to obtain the release of this 
prisoner. I thank you in advance for attending my request.


Sincerely,


Edelmrio Salas

--------------------------------- Cut here -----------------------------------

Date


Hon.  Alfonse D'Amato
Representative
United States Congress
WashingtonC
Dear Congressman D'Amato:

It has come to my attention that poet and human rights activist Maria Elena 
Cruz Varela has been imprisoned by security forces in Cuba.  I understand that 
such action has been taken against Ms. Varela for having expressed political 
views which are contrary to those of the Cuban government.  Such views were 
expressed in a letter published in a New York Times editorial which was 
critical of Cuba's head of state, Mr. Fidel Castro Ruz.  I am herein attaching 
copy of such letter.

This letter was written on Sept. 27, 1991 by Ms. Cruz Varela, a prize winning 
Cuban poet and the leader of Criterio Alternativo, a human-rights group within 
Cuba.  It has come to my attention that on Nov. 19, Ms. Cruz Varela was 
attacked in her apartment by government agents and forced, in the presence of 
her daughter, to eat some of her political writings. She was then dragged into 
the street where she was beaten and arrested for her human rights activities. 
It has been stated that she is now serving a two-year term in prison for having 
expressed her political beliefs.

I am asking you, as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee , to advise me 
as to how I can proceed to request that Cuban authorities release this poet 
from the authorities which have taken her liberty away from her on account of 
her political beliefs.  I also ask you to plea for the case of this prisoner 
which has done so much for the protection of human rights on the island of 
Cuba.  I do not know if our government is already inquiring on this matter, but 
I am willing to do whatever is in my means to obtain the release of this 
prisoner. I thank you in advance for attending my request.


Sincerely,


Edelmrio Salas


--------------------------------- Cut here -----------------------------------

Date


Hon. George Bush
President
United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC

Dear Congressman D'Amato:

It has come to my attention that poet and human rights activist Maria Elena 
Cruz Varela has been imprisoned by security forces in Cuba.  I understand that 
such action has been taken against Ms. Varela for having expressed political 
views which are contrary to those of the Cuban government.  Such views were 
expressed in a letter published in a New York Times editorial which was 
critical of Cuba's head of state, Mr. Fidel Castro Ruz.  I am herein attaching 
copy of such letter.

This letter was written on Sept. 27, 1991 by Ms. Cruz Varela, a prize winning 
Cuban poet and the leader of Criterio Alternativo, a human-rights group within 
Cuba.  It has come to my attention that on Nov. 19, Ms. Cruz Varela was 
attacked in her apartment by government agents and forced, in the presence of 
her daughter, to eat some of her political writings. She was then dragged into 
the street where she was beaten and arrested for her human rights activities. 
It has been stated that she is now serving a two-year term in prison for having 
expressed her political beliefs.

I am asking you, as President, to advise me as to how I can proceed to request 
that Cuban authorities release this poet from the authorities which have taken 
her liberty away from her on account of her political beliefs.  I also ask you 
to plea for the case of this prisoner which has done so much for the protection 
of human rights on the island of Cuba.  I do not know if our government is 
already inquiring on this matter, but I am willing to do whatever is in my 
means to obtain the release of this prisoner. I thank you in advance for 
attending my request.


Sincerely,


Edelmrio Salas