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Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer urged for the immediate start of a democratic transition on the island this Saturday, stating that “Cuba can wait no longer” and that the people “deserve freedom” in light of an economic and social crisis he described as “unsustainable.”
In an open letter sent to Infobae, Ferrer, who is in exile after being a political prisoner, warned that the country is experiencing "the deepest crisis in its contemporary history," characterized by political repression, economic misery, and social hopelessness.
The founder of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) denounced that those who dare to express dissent face arbitrary detentions, beatings, raids, and imprisonment in "the worst prisons on the continent."
He recalled that in recent years a dozen political prisoners have died in the custody of the regime.
Ferrer proposed two possible paths for change: a non-violent and organized transition to democracy, or a "surgical international action," led by the United States, aimed at dismantling the repressive leadership and facilitating a process of political opening.
He emphasized that it would not be an invasion, but rather an operation aimed at "liberating the Cuban people from tyranny."
The opposition figure defended the crucial role of international pressure and highlighted the recent measures taken by Washington.
He praised the executive order from President Donald Trump that declared a national emergency by considering the Cuban regime a threat to the security of the United States due to its ties with Russia, China, Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas.
Ferrer urged that these pressures be strengthened and maintained, warning that "every day of delay costs lives."
He emphasized that the most vulnerable sectors of the country, such as the elderly, the sick, and families suffering from extreme hunger, "can no longer wait," and described any attempt to postpone change as "hypocritical and criminal."
"The time to act has come," concluded Ferrer, emphasizing that only a rapid, orderly transition supported by the international community can put an end to decades of repression and misery in Cuba.
Ferrer supported on Thursday the measures announced by President Donald Trump to increase pressure on the regime in Havana, following the signing of the new national emergency decree regarding Cuba, which strengthens financial sanctions and prepares the United States for a potential political collapse on the island.
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