III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 489 

Commending the actions of Cuban human rights and democracy activist 

Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia, and all pro-democracy and human rights 

activists, in demanding fundamental civil liberties in Cuba and speaking 

out against Cuba’s brutal, totalitarian Communist regime. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 12 (legislative day, JANUARY 10), 2022 

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

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the actions of Cuban human rights and democracy activist Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia, and all prodemocracy and human rights activists, in demanding fundamental civil liberties in Cuba and speaking out against 

Cuba’s brutal, totalitarian Communist regime. 

Whereas on July 11, 2021, protestors in more than 40 cities 

marched in the streets of Cuba to exercise their fundamental right to peacefully assemble and express their opposition to the Cuban regime, resulting in the largest 

anti-government demonstration on the island in decades; 

Whereas the Cuban protestors, in a clear message— 

(1) called for an end to communism, censorship, and 

oppression in Cuba; and 


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•SRES 489 ATS 

(2) demanded basic human rights and their Godgiven freedom; 

Whereas during the July 2021 protests, in a crude and savage effort to silence the Cuban people, the Communist 

party— 

(1) deployed a wave of terror throughout Cuba by 

unleashing its secret police and military forces on the 

peaceful protestors; 

(2) harassed and threatened men, women, and children, some of whom were in their homes; 

(3) abducted and tortured civil society leaders; and 

(4) detained more than 1,300 Cubans, according to 

media reports; 

Whereas Felix Navarro Rodriguez, a renowned pro-democracy 

activist who was arrested during the ‘‘Black Spring’’ of 

2003, is the President of the Pedro Luis Boitel Abraham 

Democracy Party, and is a member of the Executive Secretariat of the Democratic Action Unity Table (MUAD), 

was arrested, then charged with the alleged crime of ‘‘attack and public disorder’’, after merely appearing at a 

police unit in Cuba to inquire about the status of members of his group who were detained during the July 11 

protest; 

Whereas in August 2021, Felix Navarro Rodriguez, in protest 

of his unlawful arrest, the terrible conditions in which he 

was being held and the cruelty he suffered in prison, 

went on a hunger strike for 30 days, remains isolated, is 

in a delicate state of health, and is restricted from communicating with his family; 

Whereas Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia, leader of the Patriotic 

Union of Cuba (UNPACU), is a Cuban human rights 


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•SRES 489 ATS 

and democracy activist, who has worked incessantly to 

promote fundamental civil liberties for the Cuban people; 

Whereas Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia, who was born in 

Santiago de Cuba on July 29, 1970, has dedicated most 

of his adult life in peaceful protest against Cuba’s brutal 

and totalitarian Communist dictatorship to ensure that 

Cubans are allowed to have a voice in matters concerning 

their own country; 

Whereas Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia was among the hundreds 

of activists who were unlawfully detained by the Cuban 

regime and has been unjustly imprisoned in isolation for 

nearly 180 days, where he has been subjected to physical 

and psychological torture by the brutal Communist 

Cuban regime; 

Whereas according to Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia’s family, his 

health is dire, he is suffering from severe headaches, 

mouth bleeding, malnutrition, bouts of coughing, and the 

inability to sleep, all of which was caused by the cruel 

torture and inhumane treatment he received from the 

Cuban regime; 

Whereas a host of other pro-democracy activists have been 

imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to 

freedom of expression, including Ciro Alexis Casanovas 

Pe ́rez, Loreto Herna ́ndez Garcı ́a and wife, Donaida Pe ́rez 

Paseiro, Didier Eduardo Almagro Toledo, Nidia Bienes 

Paseiro, Demis Valde ́s Sarduy, Misael Dı ́az Paseiro, 

Arianna Lo ́pez Roque, twin sisters Lisdani Rodrı ́guez 

Isaac and Lisdiani Rodrı ́guez Isaac, and Ivan Hernandez 

Carrillo; 

Whereas during the week of Christmas 2021, many of these 

peaceful demonstrators were convicted on charges of sediVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Jan 12, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR489.ATS SR489

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•SRES 489 ATS 

tion and sentenced to decades in prison just for demanding basic human rights; and 

Whereas the totalitarian regime is terrified of brave and courageous leaders who stand resolute in fighting for a free 

Cuba, and will persecute, kidnap, torture, or kill anyone 

who stands up against their tyranny: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns the repression of Jose ́ Daniel 

3 Ferrer Garcia and all brave Cuban activists, and de4 mands their immediate and unconditional release 

5 from prison; 

6 (2) condemns the brutal torture and inhumane 

7 treatment of Jose ́ Daniel Ferrer Garcia by the 

8 Cuban regime and calls for an immediate humani9 tarian medical visit by an independent human rights 

10 organization to him and to all political prisoners who 

11 have been unjustly and illegally detained by the 

12 Cuban regime since July 11, 2021; 

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

16 Cuban regime’s human rights abusers; 

17 (4) calls for the international community to 

18 stand with the Cuban people and against Cuba’s to19 talitarian Communist regime for infringing on the 


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•SRES 489 ATS 

1 freedom of thought, will, expression, assembly, and 

2 prosperity of the Cuban people; and 

3 (5) commends the courage of the pro-democracy 

4 movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for risk5 ing everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people. 

Æ 


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