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The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, met this Wednesday in Washington with Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer, after his arrival in the country from forced exile in Cuba, and expressed his admiration for the courage and resilience shown against the Cuban regime.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, Rubio highlighted "the courage and resilience of Ferrer in the face of the oppression of the Cuban regime, the threats against his life, and the relentless treatment towards him and his family."
During the conversation, Ferrer discussed the humanitarian situation facing the population of eastern Cuba following the passage of Hurricane Melissa and emphasized the importance of directing American humanitarian aid through the Catholic Church, rather than through the regime's institutions.
Rubio, who celebrated Ferrer's arrival in the U.S., reiterated the commitment of the United States government to the Cuban people in their pursuit of freedom, prosperity, and democracy, and assured that Washington will continue to support efforts to promote accountability of the Cuban regime for its human rights violations.
The secretary also acknowledged the work of Ferrer and other political dissidents and pro-democracy activists, whom he described as "essential to the freedom movement on the island."
Later, the Secretary of State shared on his X account a message where he expressed: “I met with José Daniel Ferrer after his arrival in the United States, following years of oppression at the hands of the Cuban regime. We are glad that he is free from that repression, and the United States continues to support Ferrer and all Cubans who are working for freedom and justice.”
During his visit to the U.S. capital, Ferrer was also received by Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, who met with a group of former Cuban political prisoners, including Ana Lázara Rodríguez, Ángel de Fana, Maritza Lugo, and rapper El Funky.
Díaz-Balart shared images of the meeting on his official account on X and wrote: “I met with the Cuban political prisoners Ana Lázara Rodríguez, Ángel de Fana, José Daniel Ferrer, Maritza Lugo, and El Funky, who bravely shared their stories of persecution, imprisonment, and resistance under the brutal and murderous regime in Cuba.”
The congressman emphasized that the testimonies of former prisoners serve as "a reminder of the suffering of the more than 1,100 political prisoners who are still unjustly detained in Cuba" and urged the international community to remain in solidarity with the Cuban people and demand the freedom of all those imprisoned for political reasons.
Before the meetings in the U.S. capital, José Daniel Ferrer had announced from his Facebook profile that he was in Washington.
In a live broadcast, she explained that she planned to meet with "some important and supportive individuals," including prisoners and peaceful opponents, as well as with family members of those fighting for the freedom of Cuba.
"With the Cubans who fight for freedom, democracy, and the well-being of our homeland and our people," emphasized the opposition leader.
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