III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 173 

Commending the actions of Cuban democracy and human rights activist 

Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a and the pro-democracy and human rights 

group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), to uphold fundamental 

freedoms in Cuba and condemning Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Communist regime. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 22, 2021 

Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. CRUZ, and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the actions of Cuban democracy and human 

rights activist Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a and the prodemocracy and human rights group, the Patriotic Union 

of Cuba (UNPACU), to uphold fundamental freedoms 

in Cuba and condemning Cuba’s brutal authoritarian 

Communist regime. 

Whereas Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a is a Cuban democracy 

and human rights activist who has worked tirelessly to 

ensure fundamental freedoms for the Cuban people; 

Whereas Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a was born in Cuba on 

July 29, 1970, in Santiago de Cuba and has spent most 

of his adult life fighting for Cubans to have a voice in 


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•SRES 173 IS 

the matters of their own country and against Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Communist dictatorship; 

Whereas Cuba’s authoritarian Communist regime retaliated 

against Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a over decades by repeatedly imprisoning, beating, and torturing him and 

constantly threatening and harassing his family and 

members of the pro-democracy and human rights group 

that he founded, the Patriotic Union of Cuba 

(UNPACU); 

Whereas, in March 2021, Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Communist regime committed the latest human rights violation against Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a and members of 

UNPACU, as Cuban security forces harassed them, kept 

them from meeting, and blocked their attempts to distribute aid, food, and medical care to fellow desperate 

residents of Santiago de Cuba; 

Whereas, on March 20, 2021, Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a and 

other courageous members of UNPACU began a hunger 

strike to protest the constant harassment, human rights 

violations, and the police siege of the headquarters of 

UNPACU in Santiago de Cuba; 

Whereas the hunger strike underscored the importance of defending the right of the members of UNPACU to deliver 

food and medication to a group of approximately 250 

residents of Santiago de Cuba as the need for aid, food, 

medicine, and basic necessities has risen during the global pandemic; and 

Whereas, on April 10, 2021, Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcı ́a and 

several activists from UNPACU ended the hunger strike 

after 21 days after Cuban security forces lifted the police 


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•SRES 173 IS 

siege on the headquarters of UNPACU in Santiago de 

Cuba: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the actions of Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer 

3 Garcı ́a and his unyielding resolve to advance democ4 racy and defend freedoms and human rights for the 

5 Cuban people; 

6 (2) honors the vital contribution and humani7 tarian efforts of the Patriotic Union of Cuba 

8 (UNPACU) and all of its members for their tireless 

9 work to defend fundamental freedoms and human 

10 rights in Cuba; 

11 (3) condemns the repression of Jose ́ Daniel 

12 Ferrer Garcı ́a and other brave Cuban activists; 

13 (4) condemns Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Com14 munist dictatorship and demands an end to the suf15 fering of the Cuban people and the impunity of the 

16 regime’s human rights abusers, including Miguel 

17 Dı ́az-Canel and Rau ́l Castro; 

18 (5) calls for the international community to 

19 stand with the Cuban people and against Cuba’s au20 thoritarian Communist regime for infringing on the 

21 freedom of thought, expression, assembly, associa22 tion, and prosperity of the Cuban people; and 


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•SRES 173 IS 

1 (6) commends the courage of the pro-democracy 

2 movement and activists in Cuba for risking every3 thing to bring freedom to the Cuban people. 

Æ 


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