>> ann romney is on the campaign trail for three weeks in the battleground of florida. tuesday she met with hispanic supporters at a restaurant in miami. it 20 minutes. [applause]

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[inaudible conversations] >> okay. okay now. >> i do this every year. next advantage i will arrive at the white house. >> okay. are you coming to say hi to everybody over here clucks [inaudible conversations] >> how are you?

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>> at afternoon, everybody. thank you so much for being here. i had the incredible honor of introducing to you the next first lady of the united states, mrs. ann romney. [cheers and applause] but before ann takes the microphone i want to share just a very quick story i think that would give you an eye into who she is as a mother come as a wife come as a role model quite frankly to me. we were at an event earlier today and someone asked -- she asked questions and rather than ask a question, someone asked her if she would hide the data group and prayer. and he was in a very natural spur of the moment, she just sat and we all held hands and prayed for a nation.

i pray for her husband to end. pray for the future of our nation. i think that is exactly what mrs. romney embodies. she is not only the modified voice. i am the mother of only two boys. and i go little crazy, so i don't know how in the world you do it, but she is a cancer survivor. she is someone who is just an incredible -- [applause] she is an incredible woman and we are so, so very honored you are here today to share your vision and your husband's vision for the future and listen to all these women you thank you so much for being here. we appreciate it. >> thank you. thank you. wow, what a nice group. you know, i can't even tell you how i feel when i come to a community like this because all of you are so loving and so gracious and so warm that i feel bad. it is such a welcoming feeling and i love it. and as you know, this is going

to be a very important election. this is a very important state and this is a very important county. all of those things are going to be so important. it is important that people understand why we are running and what we see is the future for the united states of america and how much we care about making sure that we bring back a strong economic italic, that we bring back jobs, that we bring back hope for people that are struggling. and you know, it was four years ago -- five years ago that at the end of the last campaign, after having lost fair and square to john mccain, i invited the camera to come up and the sentiments so that nick was very clear about how i thought about it. i said i am never doing this again.

[laughter] sweetie, no way. that day. he laughed when he saw it and he said you say that after every pregnancy. last night but when it was time to make that decision again, we had a family council the first time. we have is your five senses are all married merit, $5 a month. we now have 18 grandchildren. some of the grandchildren would like to weigh in on this decision, but i never let them. it would've been the the first time, we had the same account on all sides signed an daughters-in-law said it will be a wonderful experience. you definitely should do it. this time they are like not a single daughter-in-law. no, no, don't do that again. four of the five boys, no. i would do that. and so it was very interesting because as you know, it is a very difficult process and it's

very tough on families. if we let somebody know they are doing the right thing and being a good person is very tough and families. with my eyes i don't than when i came time for me to give my advice, my advice is this. is it too late to save the country? that is what i needed to know. the country is going in the wrong direction. we are being in trouble. still like something's about to go to the waterfall. that was my question. is it too late to fix the country. mitt said some thing. he said it's not too late yet, but it is getting late. i said well that's all i need to know. and it is not to leak out yet because i'm not going to go through all of this and then and then you get there finally and there's nothing we can do.

there is no question whether we go forward or recount go forward because it is a ceo to save the country and so we must go forward. [applause] and it was snowing my husband, knowing him so well, which is why really felt deeply in my heart tissue is the 11 person that could. now i've seen him anyone know his record. he's been an amazing father and husband. i will tell you from a personal standpoint, he was my hero. he's the one that stood by me with my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. he's the one they gave me hope and stood by my side and said i don't care how sick you get. he's with you. and we'll be fine. he's the one that did the same thing when i was diagnosed with

cancer. i'm with you. we're okay. we're going to beat this. and i will say yes, my boys were naughty. [laughter] and there were five of them. it was so confusing because i was never quite sure which team had to resign because it was like shifting alliances all the time. and it was really hard to keep up with them. it has prepared me well for this campaign. let me just put it that way. i don't care how tough the campaign gifts. nothing was as tough as recent as five boys. cheers to other mothers in the room. [applause] we all know how hard that work really is and how rewarding it is. so that was mitt's point when i was the mom is staying home. he said look, i know what you are doing is harder than what

i'm doing. i also know what you're doing is more lasting than what i'm doing. i also know what you're doing is more important that what i'm doing. so i have that kind of support from him and that kind of guy is the kind of guy we want it has that kind of judgment and air. so i always say this, too. you never know what decisions are going to come across a president's desk. so you never know what kind of care or they have because those are going to be tough times and it'll be tough decisions and you want someone with good character to look at the right thing at the right time. so i know that about mitt. from a personality point, from the character point. but then you look at his experience in the world, his real-world experience, job creation and turning things around. i saw him always just been the most kind as bill clinton said, stellar businessman. i am so glad that we heard that from someone else besides me.

[laughter] because he was in every way it was stellar and it was amazing how much confidence people put in him and he really had something that was unique that we sometimes forget how important it is and that is good judgment. and the other thing that is hard to forget is knowing sometimes with the right answer is, but not being able to implement that answer. so a lot of times there's a lot of smart people in on the run the configure what the answer is that they don't know how to get from point a to point b. and that is what mitt is so good at bringing people and coalescing people together and making sure everyone understands where they are going and why they are doing it and how we would get there. and that his leadership and that is what he has and that is what i have seen throughout his whole career. and the other wonderful time for us in the great donis in life

for us is doing that in the winter of the next in salt lake city in 2002. i may just tell you horrible thing started. i was just diagnosed with ms. i was completely numb and my right side. i could barely get out of bed pc case could be come the week as a kitten and mitt's business is doing gangbusters. my youngest son was a senior in high school. made no sense whatsoever for us to go to this. and yet it is one of those moments where you cannot love women because they listen to their heart. i knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, even though it didn't make sense on paper or anything else. the same as making the decision to run this time. i knew in my heart is the right thing to do. and so with and so with enough and at that and it was an extraordinary experience for her family. in a three-year times i've never been very, very sick to beginning my house. not being real strong, but being able to walk at least enact

dvds. and get a little energy that. it's a wonderful, wonderful experience, but i saw mitt began exhibiting leadership policies and turning something around that is in very bad shape and making it a huge success. but then i saw the governor's state of massachusetts and even into that state and had a $3 billion budget deficit when he went in for the end of his four years we had a $2 billion rainy day fund and he did that without raising taxes and without firing money. and so -- [applause] so when i see that challenges our country faces right now, high unemployment, educational system in need of repair, health care system is broken. all of these things -- i am going, i have a guy for you that knows how to fix a lot of that staff and he knows because he's had the experience and good judgment and care for to be able

to do the hard things to do the right thing for this country. so it is with 100% confidence that i know that he is the right man at the right time, that the country is calling and he is answering and it is his time. and i like to say, in very simple terms if mitt romney wins, america wins. [applause] so, for me it is clear and it is clear that we have to do and it's clear how important this election is. i'll just close with this one thought. and that as we although barbara bush. we all have first ladies we could a big kick out of it than she is one i will always enjoy. and she is just as salty as u.s. species 80s that implies now. she is just as outspoken and frank and she was introducing me in houston at a fundraiser and

she said something very interesting when she introduced me. she said, this, ladies, is the most important election of my lifetime. and she says that i'm not young. [laughter] and i thought as i thought about that later nsa started recognizing coming in now, how important did she started picking up all the things i just mentioned, it dawned on me that she is the life of the president and the other for president. she thinks this is the most important election of the lifetime. it's such an important election would have to make sure not only all of us in this lifetime do our part and our friends and neighbors and everything else realizes how important this is. it's a dividing line in the sand. are we going to be more free? are we going to have more government involvement in their life? is really a clear decision we have to make. and so, we work hard to get it

back selected and i have barbara bush trying to convince anyone else that i can't convince that she will do her part, too. thank you are very much that will come around and say hi to more folks. thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations]

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[applause] >> the next day, ann romney visited myriad therapeutic riding institution in ocala, florida. they're a nonprofit that provides therapeutic horseback riding with mental disabilities and ron mace spoke about her experiences its worst is that how they helped her cope with multiple sclerosis. this was about 10 minutes. [inaudible conversations] >> how are you? >> i am the president of the board. >> are you the guy that kind of made this happen? i love, love, love the program.

>> welcome. >> thank you. i'm sure you know my story. >> i do. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> and i loved that.

>> i can't wait to meet them. [inaudible] [inaudible] >> or someone i've got to me. >> yet, were headed down that way. for us a very lucky everything here is under the five o. one c. three and everything was donated. believe it or not, he is to be adjusting.

>> he's a hand. do you like the attention? >> is that the steady eddies. it works out that court, which i know you yourself have felt. he's just wonderful. >> you've got quite a few years left to give us, so we are excited. why don't we head on down here. >> most of them are at past year. >> they are. we hope to incorporate a driving

program. i mean kelley to make sure everybody plays nice together, but all in all -- these are our mayors. >> as you keep them together? [inaudible] [inaudible]

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[inaudible conversations] >> is this your favorite one? g of a lot of favorite? [inaudible] ..

>> [inaudible] there we go. [applause] >> let's see. can you turn on ll the microphone. >> okay. thank you all for coming. it looks like a lot of visitors here. we've had an amazing show, and i just want those people that have never experienced this to

understand how magical these horses are and how wonderful it is to have a companion that teaches you such wonderful things and gives you such confidence and strength and i've seen very amazing stories out here where there's a general that has been diagnosed with muscular sclerosis for many years and has been able to have core strength developed by writing. we have a wonderful woman over here that has cp and she is doing well and has a goal of the on the paralympics team and there is a young man. where did he go. he's been doing this program for a number of years. congratulations. [applause] >> courses are amazing.

they are amazing teachers, they are amazing convenience and they bring a great jury. a lot of these people i spoke with told me that they were able to have the excitement of getting out of bed and having the chollet of coming out here coming out one some week but how much fun it was for them to be able to come held and they look forward to this and it gives them -- all of them have increased their core strength and their balance and strength. most of the patients that were on the horses have definitely increased their mobility and their core strength from writing. so this is an amazing journey for all these people and i love it and i love these wonderful companions that teach us so much. they are extremely generous and loving. there today to -- the gate mimics what we would do if we were calling with a block and

the trot, and it's a very similar experience to what you would do if you were crawling so that energy is wonderful and the movement of having the horse moving makes you really use your core and sat up straighter and all these things that have been in therapy, so it's great physically but it's also a wonderful emotionally and that is the piece i love the most. when i was suffering and the sickest on was it was difficult for me to get out of bed, and for me it was the chollet have to know that i had the chance to get out and get on a horse, got me out of bed. so i was pretty weak and it got me strength and got me loving life, and they have been a great gift to my life so i just love coming out here and seeing that they are helping others as well.

this guy who right here, what is his name? do? i think he's falling asleep here. [laughter] you can see how comfortable and wonderful they are as they get a little bit older and their lives a lot of people donate these horses but still no the have a wonderful purpose and they are extraordinary. you can see how wonderful this horse would be for any person to get all, a small child or someone that doesn't have good balance to get on of horse and feel safe. he's got to scratch his nose. they are terrific. we appreciate all the work that makes these things possible. it takes a lot of donations and work and effort to make these kind of things happen. they don't have been without a lot of community support, so grateful for all of that and for the teachers that are here they

are here volunteering their time because i can guarantee you they love horses, too. thank you all. [applause] time to wake up. >> you did a good job. [laughter] >> [inaudible]

first lady michelle obama was on the campaign trail this week making stops in the battleground states of pennsylvania and virginia. thursday she spoke to campaign supporters in dale city virginia about her daughters and her husband's policies on women's health issues. this is a half hour. [cheering] >> thank you all. my goodness! you are fired up. [cheering]

they were right. we are going to get this done. i want to thank you all so much. let me tell you how thrilled i am to be here with all of you. i'm thrilled to see you all. i want to start -- i want to start by thanking lisa for that very kind introduction, and for her outstanding work as the women for obama co-chairs we want to give her a round of applause. [applause] i want to thank a couple of their people. i want to recognize the state delegate. [applause] lieutenant colonel john jenkins. [cheering] christine, and i want to thank them, thank you all for being here today. also want to give a special thanks to the woodridge supervisor and the members and

families of 1503. we are proud and grateful for the veterans and their families coming and we should all be working very hard to make sure they know they live in a grateful country, right? finally i want to thank e all of you. i want to thank you for your outstanding work as our volunteers organizers. thank you so much for everything you do day in and day out to make this campaign possible the campaign knocking on those stores making all those phone calls, most importantly registering voters. i want to thank you for giving people the information they need about the issues they care about. and i want you to know truly

that the grassroots work that you all are doing to help people get focused and fired up, that work is at the core of everything we do. it's at the core of this campaign. that's how we did it for years ago and that's how we are going to do it again today. [applause] the work you're doing is not easy. you are putting in long hours and i know how busy you are taking care of your own lives. i know you have families to raise and jobs to do and summer to enjoy. a lot of plans and you are here, right? but all i also know that there is a reason why all of us are here today, and it's not just because we all support one extraordinary man. [applause]

i'm a little like splitting our president is phenomenal. it's not just because we want an election which we do and we will. [applause] but we are doing this because of the values that we believe in. we are doing this because of the vision for the country that we share. we are doing this because we want our kids, all of our kids to have good schools. you know those schools look like, the kind of schools that push them and inspire them and prepare them for life in the future, those good jobs and good opportunities. you know, we want our parents and grandparents to retire with dignity and respect because we

believe that after a lifetime of hard work they should be able to enjoy their golden years. we want to restore that basic middle class security for the families because that is what we want to believe that here in america folks shouldn't because they get sick or lose their home because someone loses a job not in america. we believe that responsibility should be reworded, hard work should pay off. we believe everyone should do their fair share and play by the same rules. and the thing that we know, these are basic american values. they are the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself. i share my story everywhere i go. my father was a blue-collar city worker, worked for the city

water plant and my family lived a little in the south side chicago my room is the same bed sheet, same pictures, everything is the same. i don't know how long she's going to keep it like that. my parents never have the kind of educational opportunities that my brother and all i had. i saw how my parents saved and sacrificed. it's quiet here because we all have to plan our lives like this, we poured everything that we had into me and my brothers because they wanted us to have the kind of education they could only dream of. that's where i came from. and while pretty much all of my college tuition came from student loans and grants, can i

get an amen? my dad still paid a very small portion of that tuition himself, and every semester she was determined to pay that bill and pay it on time. he would be proud of sending his kids to college and he couldn't bear the thought of me or my brother missing the registration deadline because his check was late. like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn a living to allow him to handle his business can handle his responsibilities to his family. that's where my father was and what america is and that is more than anything else, that is what the state is in this election. it truly is, it's the fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you

start out, if you work hard, you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids. [applause] we have to understand here in america is it is that promise that binds us together, it is what makes us who we are. what makes this country so special. and from now until november, we need all of you to get out there and tell about the values that we share, tell them about our vision and everything at stake in this election. remind them. and you can start by telling them how he fought for tax cuts for working families and small businesses. because he understands in an economy that is built to last, start with the middle class. and with folks who are creating

the jobs and putting people back to work and reminded them hal back when he first took office remember our economy was losing on average 750,000 jobs a month. that's what he inherited. remind them about that. but also let them know that for the past 27 straight months we have actually been gaining a private sector jobs, a total of more than 4 million jobs in just two years. let them know. [applause] so while we still have a long way to go to rebuild our economy, we still have more work to do. today millions of people are collecting paychecks again. millions of people like my dad or able to handle their business and pay their bills again. and please, remind people about how so many folks in washington were telling barack to lead the auto industry go under.

with more than a million jobs on the line they said let it go. but what does your president to? he has the back of the american workers. he put his faith in the american people. and as a result -- [applause] today the auto industry is back on its feet again. more important, people are back at work providing for their families again. remind them. tell them how because we passed health care reform with all of your support remind them what that means because of that reform insurance companies will have to cover preventive care. things like contraception, cancer screening, prenatal care at no extra cost. that is what that reform means.

and you can tell people that for barack, protecting women's health is a mission that has nothing to do with politics. [applause] it's about ensuring that women have the screening that we need to stay healthy and the care we need when we are sick, and it's about ensuring that women can make basic health decisions for ourselves, plain and simple. [applause] you can also tell people that because of health reform millions of our seniors have saved on average more than $600 a year on their prescription drugs. let them know. and also because of that reform, our children, young men and women can stay on their parents' insurance until they are 26-years-old. [applause] we know how that feels, right?

[applause] that is how to plant 5 million young people in this country are getting the care they need. you can tell people how she has been working on education to raise standards in public school and meet college more affordable for millions of our young people so that by the end of this decade his vision is that we will have more americans holding a college degree than any other country in the world. [applause] that is his vision. you can also tell people how he has been fighting for the dream because he believes it is time to stop denying citizenship to responsible young people just because they are the children of undocumented immigrants. it's time to stop that. it's time to take care of those young people. you can remind people that

barack kept his promise. he brought our troops home from iraq. [applause] and you can remind them about how our brave men and women in uniform finally brought to justice the man behind the 9/11 attack. [applause] and you can tell them everything about our president and what he is doing to make sure that our veterans and our military families get the benefit the affirmed and the respect and support they deserve. [applause] and please remind them our troops no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country because of barack obama 's pronouced "don't ask, don't tell." you can also tell them that this

is some good stuff -- [laughter] that is easier for women to get equal pay for equal work. [applause] that's because the first bill that my husband signed into law the was eight leal ledbetter fair pay act the first thing he did as president of the united states, and she signed the bill because he knows that closing that gap can mean the difference between women losing 50, 100, $500 from each paycheck or having that money in their pocket to buy gas and groceries and put clothes on the back of their kids. but it's also important for people to know why he did it. she did it because when so many women are now breadwinners and our families women's success in this economy is the key to family success we know that. we know that.

finally don't forget to tell people about those early and supreme court justices that your president appointed and for the first time in history and our sons and daughters watched three women take their seats on the nation's highest court. i could go on and on and on. we give people that need to get outside and play i see right here the need ice cream or something. what i need you to understand and make sure you share as well is make sure all of this, all these wonderful, russians and so much more and they are all at stake this november all on the line, and in the end it all boils down to one simple question. are we going to continue the change that we have begun and all the progress that we have made, are we going to allow everything we fought for not

just over the last three and a half years before the last several decades are we going to let it all just slip away? [applause] we know what we need to do we cannot afford to turn back now we have to keep moving forward. keep moving forward. and more than anything else that is what we are working for all of us that is what this is about we're working for the chance to finish what we started, the chance to keep fighting for the values we believe end quote and the vision that we share we all share this vision this is an american vision and that is what my husband has been doing every single day as president. but let me share something with

you. over the past three and a half years as first lady i've had the chance to see up close and personal what being president looks like. so let me show you what i have learned. i've seen what the issues come across the president's desk are always the hard ones. always. the problems with no easy solutions. the judgment calls are so high, and there is no margin for error and i seen that as president you're going to get all kinds of advice and opinions from all kind of people but let me tell you at the end of the day you are sitting alone in that oval office and when it comes time to make that decision as president, all you have to died you or your life experiences. all you have to guide you are your values and that vision that you have for this country.

in the end with the president is making those impossible choices it all boils down to who that person is and what he or she stands for. [applause] we all know who barack obama is, don't we? we know what he stands for. [applause] remind people that barack is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills. that's hoover president is. he is the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day for her job at the bank and even though his mother worked hard to support his family. no more qualified than she was, and then they have actually trained promoted up the ladder ahead of tirso believe me, your

president understands what it means when the family struggles. when someone doesn't have a chance to fulfil their potential and believe me today as a father he knows what it means to want something better for your kids. those are the experiences that have made him the man and the president he is today. remind people when it comes time to stand for american workers and families you know what your president is going to do, right? [applause] when there is a choice between protecting our rights and freedom you know where barack obama stands. when we need a leader to make the hard decisions to keep this country moving forward, you know you can count on barack obama because that is what he has been doing every single day as

president of the united states. [applause] but you have to remind people, and i've said this before and i will say it again and again and again. barack obama cannot do this alone. that was never the promise. he needs you to keep on doing that hard work to make those calls, call people. register those voters. you know those that aren't registered, find them, shake them come and get them ready. he needs all of you to multiple yourself he needs you to sign up even more superstore volunteers. more superstar organizers so reach out to your friends and neighbors and colleagues and congregation members and a

social club members. the people that you have tea with and what with in the morning and the llosa people and in the durres restore lines convince them all week in this campaign remind them what is at stake and then send them for more direction for barack obama.com to start up and a difference because what is important this election will be closer than the last one. that's we can count on. and if any of you, if any of you out with a difference you can make i just want to remind you that in the end of this election could come down to the last few thousand were repeated to people who register to vote.

it could come down to those last few thousand folks we help get to the polls on november 6th and i want you to just think a minute about what those kind of numbers mean when they are spread out over an entire state. it might mean registering just one more person just one more person in in your community. this out and vote on election day when you're doing this work and wondering about every conversation you had i want you to remember that this could be the one, treat it like that. this could be the one that makes the difference. that is the impact each of you can have that is what you are so important and why we are going to win in november because of you can not going to kill you.

remember this journey is going to be long, and it is going to be hard if and there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way but just know that is how real change always happens in this country, always but also remember that if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight and doing what we know is right, then eventually we get there. we always have and we always will. maybe not in our lifetime but maybe in our children's lifetime. you know, maybe in our grandchildren's lifetime. because in the end that is what this is all about. it's not about us, it's about

them and let me tell you that is what i think about it every night when i put my girls to bed a lot to think about the world i'm going to leave for them and all of our children and sons and daughters. i think about how i want for them what my dad did for me, you know? i want to give them that foundation. foundation for their dream. i want to give them opportunities for the because of our children are special. and i want to give them that sense of limitless possibilities. if you're willing to work hard. if you wonder what keeps me going if you wonder what gets me and my husband passion it is that believe.

so we can't turn back now. nope. we have so much more work to do. so virginia, let me ask you one last question. are we in the? [applause] or you ayaan? [applause] are you a and? because i am so in the. i am so fired up. and i look forward to being out there delivering the message reminding this country what is at stake, reminding them with our president has done and what he will continue to do and i look forward to being out there with you every step of the way. i can't wait to keep it going. thank you all. god bless. [applause]

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you've got to get specific about it and if everyone in this room designed a plan i could sign on to 90% of them. the senate hearing today lifted the growing civil society of cuba and the cuban government repression of civil. part of the hearing focused on alan grove an american jailed providing satellite phones to cuba's jewish community.

the senate foreign relations subcommittee hearing is just over two hours. good morning. the year in the western hemisphere will come to order. first of all, apologies to the secretary and to other witnesses. we had a vote on the floor, and so just came from that. welcome to the hearing on the countering repression and supporting civil society in cuba. in title that is more than a mere designation of why we are here but a statement of what we must do for the people of cuba and how we can get their. i want to thank the panelists for coming today. i look forward to hearing their analysis and ideas on how we move down the path to freedom. i want to acknowledge the wife

of alan gross who is here with us today, and we are in solidarity with her and her husband and believe that he should never have been incarcerated but that he should in fact be free to come home to his family. in addition to the assistant secretary for the western hemisphere affairs, robert the jacobson and former political prisoner we will have the unusual privilege of being joined by the three individuals have time and again risked their personal freedom to advocate for basic human rights for their fellow cubans. this morning they will, again, simply be called on their willingness to express their opinions at this hearing, put their personal freedom at risk by telling the truth about conditions in cuba and provide testimony before this committee

over the patient is so sensitive we were unable to include their names on the notice and only have this morning following confirmation of their arrival at the u.s. intersection in havana issued a new hearing notice. we are deeply grateful for their courage and commitment coming forward to speak about the realities of life in cuba and their advocacy of people. they will speak to us by phone. i must take this opportunity to thank the committee and the state department for their assistance in facilitating the technical aspects of this hearing in d.c. and havana and in providing interpretation services as well.

let me begin by providing context for today's hearing. i am at once both encouraged and discouraged by conditions inside of cuba. i'm encouraged by the growth of civil society of thousands of brave cubans who every day stand their ground despite harassment, loss of jobs and rations as retribution for their actions and their ultimate in many cases their ultimate freedom and for those who speak their mind this by the recurring physical abuse and arbitrary arrests and detentions. at the same time, those arrests and detentions this year alone are now more than 2,500, and that includes 1,150 document to the arrests just in the month of march a level not seen in cuba since the 1960's. the tremendous increase and the repressive actions against the cuban people recognize this week by the u.n. committee against

torture revealed the growing level of discontent in cuba and the inability of the regime to grow to control this growing movement. the growth of civil society in cuba is in fact extraordinary, particularly if you consider the constraint chased by activists living on an island who are subject to continuous observation, continuous harassment and frequent detections by cuban security forces can with limited means of communicating among themselves because the island has a virtual no free internet capacity and the internal internet is obviously heavily monitored and completely controlled by the regime. it is even more impressive if you consider that the roots of today's movement began to form inside cuban prisons only in the late 1980's and early 1990's as the soviet union collapsed and weakened by the lack of soviet subsidization. the cuban committee for human rights for men to the first civil discontent basing its

platform on the universal declaration of human rights. the movement grew into 100 of 35 groups that make up the umbrella group that declared its determination to struggle for an absolutely peaceful non-violent transition to the democratic state of law rejecting all hatred, violence or revenge and equally embracing all cubans everywhere. the regime's efforts to halt the movement locked the plans for the meeting in february 4th, 1996 and arrested the participants failed. in that moment the regime won the battle but lost the war. the braves action became legendary on and off the island, and their actions inspired others to stand up and face the regime. across the island a diverse collection of liberation groups and freedom fighters spring to life included women's groups, human rights groups, association of independent lawyers and

journalists, artists and librarians. again and again the pattern was repeated when they sought to crush the supporters. the petition calling for the vote in favor of the freedom of association of expression, freedom of the press, free e elections, the right to operate private business in amnesty for political prisoners and other activists on march 18th 2003, an event known as the black spurring. cuba arrested and imprisoned 75 actors at that time including or mondo and we will be calling on the phone and a short while he was exiled to spain after serving seven hard years as a political prisoner in cuba. the served eight years before being provided release in march of 2011. the 75 irs again emboldened the opposition movement leading to the creation of the balance which has become a national symbol for a unified demand for freedom from repression and

tyranny. if passed this current wave of repression would only serve to further emboldened the movement and bring others in to the cause and eventually lead to the freedom of the cuban people. the purpose of today's hearing is to call attention to the wave of repression taking place inside of cuba, and at the same time it is a celebration of the courage of thousands of activists living inside of the island. the thousands of cubans who every day stand against the regime and who every day it hurt their personal freedom at risk for the freedom of their countrymen and the nation. let me close with a few facts that we've distributed to the audience. according to the 2011 state department human rights report, and i quote, the principal human rights abuses in cuba or in french and on the citizens to change their government, our government threats intimidation of harassment and detention to prevent citizens from assembling peacefully a significant increase our number of short

term in december rose to the highest monthly numbers in 30 years. most human rights abuses or acts committed at the direction of the government and consequently the perpetrators enjoy impunity for directions to the according to the freedom house, cuba is ranked 190 out of 197 countries in terms of cross freedom, life in syria and iran. during the month of march 2012 there were 1,158 documented political arrests by the castro regime in cuba. according to the cuban commission for human rights got this represents, quote, the highest monthly number of documented the arrests in five decades. cuba has also seen its share of murders on the journey and the lengthy prison hunger strikes and that after repeating by security officials. among the most recent detainees

was arrested march 2nd on charges of disorder and actions against the norm in the development of the minor and there were arrested in mid march during a wave of arrests leading up to the business of post benedict xv. he was arrested in march if 27 as he stepped out of his home in hopes of traveling to benedict. this marked the activist the patriotic union arrested april 1st prosecutors are seeking a two year prison sentence against him. danny lopez was sentenced in april 18 for wearing a shirt denouncing the castro regime for the death of political prisoners and mendoza and the political prisoners are currently on

hunger strikes on the prison demanding to buffalo international standards for prisoners. [speaking spanish] their courage and sacrifice is what we can never forget for dictatorial repression of regimes that has ruled cuba with an iron hand since the middle of the last century. still today, 23 years after the fall of their truck and a closed society, from the advance of the world threatened fearful saying doing something the land them in prison often for years so we urge all of them to remember the

victims of fidel castro and his brother raul just as we remember all of those around the world who suffered and died under the odierno is of dictators in cambodia under the mayor in iran under the ayatollah and saddam hussein under bosnia and the brutal genocide in darfur. as we've said many times before, the cuban people are no less deserving of america's support in the millions in prison and forgotten in the soviet gulags what their families to die for nothing more than a single expression of dissent. i am compelled to ask again today as i have before here why is there such an obvious double standard when it comes to cuba where they so different from the gulags of the old soviet union. why are they willing to tighten the sanctions against iran that loosen them when it comes to an equally oppressive regime inside of cuba. when it comes to cuba why are we

so willing to throw up our hands and say it's time to forget? it is not time to forget. we can never forget those that have suffered and died at the hands of dictators, not in iran, not in cuba, not anywhere. it is clear the repression in cuba continues unabated, not withstanding all of the calls to ease the travel restrictions sanctions, not withstanding millions of visitors from across the globe, not withstanding a greater resources that the regime has now in terms of currency, not withstanding the calls to step back and let bygones be bygones. that hasn't stopped the repression. the repression, the imprisonment and torture still continues. in good conscience if one cannot do that, and i will not step back from that. as long as we have a voice in the united states senate that voice will be for the freedom of the people. but they recognize the distinguished member.

estimates before mr. chairman. first of all, secretary jacobson, thanks for being here and for service to the country and thank you mr. chairman for holding these hearings. i come in the interest time, will let my remarks and said and, i doubt i could do more than you've already done and i go every word you say. i just want to add a few things. first, i think this hearing is also important because it allows us to illustrate what's happening just 90 miles from our shores. i think for many americans, as we look around the world, we somehow come to think that a totalitarianism dictatorship that uses come human rights abuses something that happens somewhere else to happen in our very own hemisphere, literally within 90 miles from the shores of this country, they had been in cuba and they happen to have been for over a long time. what exists in cuba is and some cold war relic of interest. it is in fact three things. first of all its jet extremely impressive regime as perhaps any

other regime in the entire world one that divides families against each other and that it deliberately manipulate people who travel to the island of cuba, then deliberately manipulate the u.s. policy towards cuba for their advantage. it is a one-way street. even our best intentions are manipulated. .. and that and that alone is the

reason by the cuban people suffer economically because their leaders do not know what they are doing. now, the other thing i will say is that our goal here in the united states and its people care deeply about human rights cell of the world as the people of cuba have freedom. freedom to choose any economic model they want, but the freedom to choose their leaders so they can have any economic model they want. one direction kubik is economically belongs to the cuban people. that is not for us to say. but as you stand for is the right of the cuban people to determine their future. that is what we stand for. in the united states with rare exception there is no debate on that topic. what there is debate about his tactics about which we accomplish this. i've been on record in the past, not because i question their motives or their intention but because i quite frankly think the tax except this administration pursued are naïve. the notion somehow by flooding cuba with terrorists and people to people contact will somehow change the cuban government is

naïve. the cuban government manipulates policy towards cuba to their advantage. i repeat, is a one-way street. i do not think united states at this administration is doing it out of that intention, but i don't think they fully grasp what we deal with here. my colleagues inside the cube were troubled to cuba with the notion is that thing straight, they will be the ones to get going and toxins into sense into these folks and many of them return scratching my head and shaking their heads because they've come face-to-face with how truly manipulative and good at manipulating people and circumstances this repressive regime has become. i hope on other things will go to talk about today and of the next few months are new type it. want to think about this he had talked to chairman to somehow figure in a way to give the people of cuba access to the internet. free and clear interference from the government because they believe with all my heart of the people of cuba had access to the internet and could communicate with one another, they could follow each other in twitter and

facebook to get news on the outside world, free to choose any news they want to access, i do not believe the regime could survive that for very long. i close my statement with a message to the people who work for the government in cuba and those involved because i know they like to watch these hearings. they may have people here in the audience today. so let me give a message to take that. if you're involved in reading people and killing people in cuba if the government use due care in the united states as part of the intersection are in cuba and abusing human rights computer name is reported in your part of a government that is not sustainable. the government you work for cannot survive. fidel castro as topsoil and his brother will be gone, too. the system of government in cuba cannot survive commensurate name is going to be recorded and you'll be brought before justice. if you were a police officer. if your military official involved in human rights abuses committed in this written down

and you will have to answer for those kinds refer to the courts or international one. you need to think about that before you cooperate with them things happening to the folks were hearing about today because your party system that cannot survive in long after the leaders are gone, you'll be left behind picking up the pieces of what you're doing right now. so i hope the message gets there. i'll be more than happy to delivered in spanish as well as to the >> teena maximus and under very much. let me recognize assistant secretary roberta jacobsen who served as a principal deputy assistant secretary for the western hemisphere affairs before this present assignment. senior coordinator for system security initiatives at the western hemisphere and has served as deputy assistant secretary for canada, mexico and deputy chief of mission of the u.s. embassy in lima, peru from

2,002,002. among a distinguished record in the western hemisphere and we're pleased to have her here with us today. so i would ask you to summarize your testimony about five minutes. your full statement will be entered into the record and were pleased to have you and acknowledge you. >> thank you, mr. chairman. chairman menendez, ranking member rubio, i am delighted for the opportunity to be here today and i appreciate the subcommittee's engagement in the western hemisphere and your commitment shared democratic values, human rights and expanding economic and social opportunity in the americas. most countries in the western western hemisphere we see governments working to provide greater political and economic opportunity for citizen but there are exceptions. that is by supporting human rights, democratic governance and greater prosperity remains fundamentally he was subject to throughout the hemisphere, but especially cuba. in cuba at the obama administration priority is to empower coupons to determine their future. the most effective tool we have for doing that is building

connections between the cuban and american people in order to give cuban supporting tools they need to move forward independent of their government. u.s. citizens engage in a well-defined purpose will travel at the best ambassadors for a democratic ideals pay the hundreds of thousands of cuban-americans to send remittances and travel to the innocents effusively early in the frustration are an essential part of the strategy to ensure cubans have these opportunities. our policy also recognizes the importance of the importance of engaging the pro-democracy and human rights act to this. some of the new features today who have been working for years to expand the political civil rights of all cubans. our programs provide humanitarian assistance to political prisoners and their families, support documentation of human rights abuses and promote free flow of information to come from and within the island. last year secretary clinton recognized cuban blogger iolani sanchez with the women of

courage award in the state department's 2011 human rights defender word. in 2010 and 27 the cuban government will support the spanish government and catholic church released dozens of political prisoners, most on condition of exile in spain we welcome the release of political prisoners, including master the 75 peaceful act of us who are unjustly arrested during the black spring of 2003. unfortunately the release did not affect the fundamental change in the cuban government's poor record on human rights. the government has continued to punish political dissent increasingly using repeated short-term arbitrary contentious u.s. citizens from assembly peacefully and freely expressing opinions in continues to limit fundamental freedoms. it has continued to threaten and harass human rights defenders, including two minutes of ongoing bill continues to support an independent civil society right of the cuban people to freely determine their future through governmental policy on

facilitation nongovernmental engagement. despite the cuban government's intolerance of political dissent, faith-based organizations have gained the latitude to conduct religious outreach and provide vital social services to marshal its cubans fear the administration has taken steps to support religious groups in cuba by authorizing u.s. religious organizations to sponsor religious travel at about one minute agreement for religious activities in cuba. against the backdrop we also highlight the case of grows worse than unjustly imprisoned in cuba since december 2009 and i too would like to greet judy gross at this hearing. we'll continue to seek the immediate release of a dedicated development work or a mother and father, husband and son. enhancing access to communication to eligible facilitate the process of political change. our interest section in havana provides free internet access to human rights activists and other cuban teaches basic information-technology skills

and provides training to independent journalists. to cuba and other governments across the hemisphere message must be clear that nonviolent dissent is not criminal behavior. opposition to the government is not criminal behavior. exercise of free speech is not criminal behavior. to the contrary, free speech is a right that must be defended. i know the subcommittee is committed to ensuring full respect for freedom of expression in the americas and in some countries the new tactics used by government and other actors to silence those who challenge them, including threats of violence against journalists and government regulations aimed at silencing critics. wherever it occurs in our hemisphere we need to confront these new measures to limit freedom of expression. in closing let me emphasize will be the first to cheer the democratically chosen government in cuba receives full participation in the inter-american system. the hemisphere has been a trailblazer in training principles and its national regional institution to share benefit of the peoples of

america appear principles remain relevant in the hemisphere first challenge is three -underscore most recently in a assembly in bolivia. i look forward to working with years to promote greater freedom and prosperity and keep them throughout the hemisphere. thank you very much, mr. chairman. >> thank you command secretary. let me start off in trying to understand, which i find very difficult to understand some of the administration's views, as it relates to strengthening civil society and thank you for coming strengthening the information flows senator rubio talked about in the policies via tot. i am outraged at the department's decision to authorize the says for a stream of cuban regime officials to visit the united states, starting with posts have been a

good outcome of cuban director for north affairs in april whose husband was ultimately kicked out of the u.n. mission in new york. most recently, approval of visas for daughter of cuban dictator, castel mattia and her friends to attend the latin american studies association, is. i do not understand when the caster shame holds an american hostage for over two and a half years and when we have best described as the highest monthly number of documented arrests in five decades that we permit that are messaging is the permit mariella castro to be parading the united -- around the united states on a publicity tour darcy declared herself a citizen. the reality is i want to know under what authority that

ms. castro and other communist party officials were issued visas to enter the united states. the department exercise its waiver authority under executive order 53772 cdc says. and how do you justify giving those pieces when you have this incredible repression and that is cuban and american is languishing for two and half years in castro's shows for nothing are than helping the jewish community in havana try to communicate with each other? >> thank you, mr. chairman. i want to start off by saying no one has been certainly more outraged at alan grossman's attention and we will continue to do everything that we can to see that he is home with his family as they should be now with his mother and his family. >> everything we can but continue sending ever shame that

you can't keep in prison and then have a parade here. to me that's an oxymoron. >> senator, under the regulations for defense, and we look at every time we have these application from any citizen, but certainly cuban citizen, please look at the full range of national security foreign policy, immigration, laws and regulations, including reviewing proclamation that the 377. in the cases that mariella castro, those two cases did not fall under the exception requirement of proclamation 5377 as i was effectively implemented 1999 under secretary albright. so, those cubans are allowed to come to the united states to speak openly because in our country dare people to do so despite my not agree that all

the statements of mariella castro, obviously nbc got the latin american studies association and other than spirit in the case of hosted scene of the doll, she had originally applied. she applied for the visa to do work with the intersection here in washington. we honestly applied for a visa to go to havana to work with their intersection and we felt that it was superb route to allow her to come into this country and work with the intersection here under the principle of reciprocity, recognizing that we want to be able to meet with and talk to the widest range of people in cuba that we possibly can and recognizing the cuban government does not always the last that. >> but the reality is, first of all, are you suggesting that mariella castro is not a communist party official?

>> i'm not suggesting she may not be a member of the communist party, but as the proclamation was interpreted and effectively narrowed in 1999, she was not a senior party official. >> the united states denies visas to all types of people all across the world. it has broad jurisdiction in doing so. you exercise your discretion in giving a visa to these individuals as part of a repressive system inside of cuba and languishing in jail. you have the authority to say now. they canceled the reciprocity both those now and in the past. that reciprocity is not ultimately served inside of cuba. they are restricted in their travel inside of cuba. they restricted actions inside of cuba. so what we are doing is given a

one-way street here and sending it totally wrong message. those who fight for freedom and safety to each and every day, they languish there. and yet those who oppress them get to come to the united states and either propaganda. i understand the beauty of our freedom, but there is also a public policy decisions to say we do not -- i guess they would allow, you know, sierra stick leadership to come here to express their views. we expelled there to thomas, you know, from the united states. you know, bottom line is they make choices all the time in terms of promoting the national interest and security of the united states. and certainly the national interest of the united states has to be to see democracy asserting cuba, not to love those to repress it to come to the united states to promote their propaganda. let me turn to another set of circumstances i don't understand

policy wise, which is the whole quote, unquote people to people travel to cuba. the administration and its restrictions and travels in remittances in april of 2009, the castro regime has doubled its hard currency reserves and foreign banks. the bank for international settlements reported being some 43 countries held $5.76 billion cuban deposits as of march of 2011. which is the date we have figures for, compared with 4.2 billion at the close of 2902.8 billion at the close of 2008. so it is very clear because nothing else has changed baghdad the island in terms of revenue source. it is very clear we are essentially bankrolling the regime ends -- and it's hard for the abroad. i look at that and say to myself, look at the travel.

in the time we permit this travel travel, we've seen how centuries, this is visit to hemings way marina, cigar factory tours, performances of the cable national and mail sent a prayer, part of inside cuba's undiscovered cuba trip in santa clara to visit the chair memorial or the cuban revolutionaries hus, we meet with an historian to ultimately understand che's legacy. this is a tremendous way to help civil society instead of cuba promote democracy and human rights and at the same time, increased castro's regime's ability to have resources to oppress its people as we see the highest amount of repression has been said from within those in cuba by a decade.

tell me how the policy has worked. >> senator, there are other reasons, as difficult as it is to ascertain actual statistics on cuban revenues, there are other things we believe -- they make you don't dispute those reserves. their international reported. >> we've certainly seen those reports obviously in reserves, but there've been increased until fairly recently in prices for medical and recovery from the 2008 hurricanes in cuba. there've also been increasing because of policy of import substitution industrialization and an increasing number of countries and firms that have required increased cash in reserve because of cuba's bad credit risk quite frankly. so we believe there are many different reasons reserves may have been creased. certainly we do not believe thursday sole reason.

>> do you dispute that the largest increase in reserves to the castro regime is a combination of remittances and travel money going inside of cuba clack >> i simply don't know that is the reason directly one-to-one for the increase. >> senecal has increased so much it is now created an increase of the $2 billion more money it collects >> well, i know there are multiple reasons in the increase in reserves. i do know they're obviously increase funds for minute this and travel. >> talk to me about how the shame how to havisham amado creates civil society instead of cuba. >> senator, they are our abuses are committed in regulations were promulgated. >> you created regulations that permit abuses to take this rather widely. >> there are positive things

happening in the interactions between americans, religious organizations, humanitarian groups, human rights outreach occurring under this program. >> and those successors ultimately can be justified in the context of record numbers of imprisonment click >> we think the benefits over time as the increased contact to the cuban people and their ability to change the situation in cuba will outweigh the negative. but certainly as i stated in my opening statement, we do not in any way condone or tolerate increased detentions and harassment of cubans inside. >> it is hard to understand how you have this dramatic increase. the one fundamental thing that has changed is that there is unlimited flow of remittance is

and unlimited, in my view, this is because the policies quote, unquote, tours to the shay memorial, to all of these things so you don't interact with avarice cubans. you do not engage average cuban. you are self reporting, so that is why the abuse are largely allowed because secret agenda lessons in which anyone can go in there for you have no real reporting of travel itineraries and engagements. so, smoking a cuban car made by those who are not free, having a cuba libre on the beaches, which is an oxymoron is not the way which is a great cuban people. given their shimmer money for repressive apparatus in which obviously in the face about these benefits have only semantically increased number of arrests, not decrease, have not created a more open opportunities for civil,

peaceful society to promote themselves is not my idea of success and i don't know how many people have to be arrested, now many americans have to languish in jails before we send a totally different passage to the regime. senator rubio. >> before we leave the visa topic because he touched on how we deny visas all the time. let's use an example to see why this doesn't make sense to me. maybe a decade and a half ago the united states that congress cannot do an operation to capture each element responsible for murder of an american agent is one of the people was a honduran who now lives in the united state and a decade and a half later under the court to send companies and indicted that the united states and honduras was indicted in a not ration connected by the next phase in conjunction with a honduran government. sadly, his grandchildren, his

daughter and her husband were murdered in honduras about four months ago and he has three grandchildren who have applied for tourist visas to enter the united states and visit their grandfather or quite frankly treated rudely yesterday at the conflict and their three visas denied. but we will castro's daughter prayed into the streets of america and obviously i hope the design will be reconsidered. it's not the topic of this theory and i know you didn't make that decision, but my point is that i don't get it. i don't understand how three orphaned children who want to visit their grandfather in the united states are somehow denied a tourist visa, but the same government that tonight than a tourist visa gave unto mariella castro so she could come to the united states and justify the fact that they're holding an american hostage. you can't did the united states and called dissidents despicable parasites, people who all they want is for the country to have freedom and self-determination.

i hope with a further combination of the process. i talked about the internet and i saw near stamey talked about free internet access at the intersection. that's a good thing. i talked to senator menendez about this little bit. i'm interested in the possibility and i would like like to work with you on the state department on the possibility of providing internet access of the satellite in cuba. their existing satellite that dean's signals throughout the world. if you have a receiver, you could receive satellite signals from any number of satellites that are out there now. obviously you have to pay for the subscription service. if somehow we could figure out a way for the government to do that with mr. broadcasting a user otherwise, we could potentially provide a vehicle by the people of cuba would have to have access to the computer equipment that allowed them to access internet via satellite. satellite. but this is technological feasible for the united states

to be involved in font during internet-access for 13 million people on the island of cuba, which i think of the people in cuba had met her today to have access, they could read irani sanchez's trees, sometimes she can't even see your own. they spoke, sometimes they were able to quickly post on youtube videos about the abuses happening there. and more importantly, able to talk to one another and have access to the outside world in terms of information some of the single greatest contributions they can make to the advancement of freedom and democracy in the island and i hope we can work with their office to do something like this together, which i really think would be a cost-effective way to further the cause of freedom and liberty. the last thing i hope the state will consider is the mechanism by which we can create, if it doesn't exist already, a registry were dissidents and resistant and others on the island could register names of

human rights abusers to the world can other names na can be held justice if and when that day comes. these are people that are part of these flash mobs on the street. these are people that wear uniforms, but in fact are thugs and they beat people and torture people in jail people and are fully cooperating with the government. their names need to be reported. some of these folks find appear in the united states. a few years later they changed their minds and we don't like what's going on in cuba and iraq and in miami around the streets. i like to know their. they keep track of two individuals are and they will be a free cuba soon. i hope will consider sponsoring some sort of righteous state, where we can publicize the names of the folks at who they are and what they're connecting so it is clear for the record in the future that time comes to be hauled out to justice.

>> thank you, senator. i look forward to working with you on these issues and in particular, as you know, we think it is critical that greater information, greater access to information be given to the cuban people. that is why so much of our efforts are focused on that come with an interception or assistance program there are some reports say well over double the number of self and in cuba now for there were just a short number of years ago when they were first permitted and this is a trend we sit they want to engage with you on encouraging. >> one must question or two sets of questions. on that now, one of the challenges will have been arrested allen gross is to try to to kill the very essence of our democracy programs are inside of cuba and after mr. gross' arrest a series of actions were taken and grantees were told basically to refrain

from the dvds are ultimately about the free flow of information for cubans inside of cuba to communicate with each other about what is happening inside their country. so my question is, i hear you say that we support that in a certain way in very interested in senator revers idea here. i would love to see us possibly find such an initiative here the question as, how do you not chilled all of those grantees in terms of their engagement set of cuba across exactly what the machine wants? >> senator, i don't think that we have. i think that what we try to do, clearly the regime is trying to send us a message about the ability to get information around cuba and connects cubans to each other and we have to continue to try and ensure that in the environment that our

democracy programs operating cuba we do as safely as participants and effectively as we possibly can. that is the intention of our conversation and our review of other programs. >> having spoken to many grantees, we are sending a far different message. in essence we have never permitted our democracy programs worldwide to be impinged upon our broadcasting by either jamming or policies of the regime to stop the various and? the program. i would look forward to having a set down programs on how they are not a comp shoot what we want. finally i urge you referred to mr. gross before what you know

what is the present status obviously is in jail. the question is, has the regime made any offers, any suggestion about his freedom to the state department? >> certainly they have not responded to any of our entreaties demands, requests that he be allowed to come home with any acceptable response, which should be a common now. there has been no response from the cuban government and our conversations either with them or their public statements that they are willing to do that. certainly most recently we have focused on mr. gross' mother, who is gravely ill and is 90

years old, evelyn gross and the fact that he should be released on humanitarian grounds to the otc hair. and we have press that very hard and we have not gotten a satisfactory or at all and not. >> did you not permit one of the individuals who had been released after his custody to go back to cuba and promote an humanitarian ability in that respect? >> senator, in that particular case the justice department objected to his return to cuba on that visit, but the court allowed him to go back to cuba. frankly the court having to know, we've got that was a perfect opportunity for the cuban government to take and humanitarian gesture and that mr. grossi is mother nature not. >> and they did not, which is part of the cost. it's a one-way street.

>> thank you for image for your testimony. there may be questions that come to you through the committee. let me call up, both here and thank you to our set a witness says. mr. normando is here with us. he is an independent journalist dedicated his career to providing alternative sources of news and information in cuba. he cofounded the cuban foundation for human rights established by the association of journalists for the first independent in 1959. he was declared a prisoner of conscience by amnesty international following cuba's black screen. he was exiled to spain in 2010 and a sense resettled in the united states. mr. fernandes is currently a fellow at the national endowment for democracy, where he's examining the cuban

communications monopoly and considering strategies by which independent journalist to combat totalitarianism and we welcome him to our community. instead of cuba to the u.s. interest section we welcome mr. josé danielle and organizer of the project, a campaign for political and economic reforms to a vote to an initiative process. during the black spring he was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the campaign. while in prison, mr. ferrer worked to report the abuses he witnessed behind prison bars and the curse of other conscience. in march of 27 after serving eight years in prison, he was granted a conditional release and we welcome him as well. ms. sara marta fonseca quevedo is a distinguished leader as captured in the now famous

photographs, ms. fonseca within the crackdown and years later after putting signs in her house i read come along with human rights and we demand rights for all cubans, ms. fonseca, has been julio, ignacio were violently beaten by elisha mark acting under the direction of state security at it as a freedom fighter can ms. fonseca has been harassed, arrested, detained and eaten by the castro regime and supporters and she is a hero for all support human rights and the welcome her. and jorge luis garcia perez antunez is a political act of a suicide over 20 years for human rights and democracy in cuba. in 1990 mr. peres was shot in a public that communism was quote, and area and utopia and demanded that cuba had back reforms like

those taken place in eastern europe. after being charged for quote all enemy propaganda and sentenced to six years in prison, mr. perez started a hunger strike that lasted 21 days. after serving 17 years in prison, jorge luis was released in april 2010. we welcome him as well. so we are going to go obviously through a process under which our witnesses and our guests are going to be speaking in spanish. we are going to have an interpreter. we are going to start of with normando in her name does. i'm going to ask you as you go through your presentation to pause at times to get the interpreter an opportunity to interpret so that the rest of the committee and the transcript

that is being developed will have its english version. and while senator rubio and i may fully understand what you're saying, waiting for the rest of the committee and the rest of the audience members who have staff here to understand what you're saying is while pearce to take a little bit of time, but we look forward to your testimony and we thank you for your willingness to come forward. so what not, mr. fernandes, we'll start with you. if you can summarize your testimony went five minutes or so will be flexible. we don't always get these opportunities. and then, all of your testimony will be included in the record. with that, [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] >> translator: honorable

member, rubio, thank you drainage for inviting me to testify. my name is normando fernandez and i am in a next prisoner from cuba, member of the world of 75. the topic of this hearing i did nothing bad. even like this, show the world that cubans are not allowed on the difficult world to freedom. to be against the world of cuba is to be against the totalitarian region. it is to be in favor of the true cuba society.

i am still learning english, so please allow me to continue in spanish. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: i would like to highlight the emergence and growing civil society in cuba as different from the so-called civil society at the pass, which was created and manipulated by the government. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: independence, civil society in cuba is to post it self-created citizen groups established without authorization from the government to defend their interests before the state. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: this includes but is known today as the dissident, peaceful opposition, the human rights movement, political parties, bloggers and professional intellectual association. [speaking in spanish]

transcode the seat of the civil society was planted on january 28, 1976 but the name of the cuban committee for human rights under the direction of dr. ricardo rs and a small group of intellectuals. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: since its creation, cuban committee for human rights has advocated for respect for human rights in cuba had been out the violation that occurred on the island. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: the profound political economic and social crisis that the fall of the berlin wall created in cuba that many other cuban to create independent, civil spaces independent from the government, that is governor to express frustration with her for alternative solutions to their problems. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: and ask in the hundreds of groups at professional, political and ideological streams begin to emerge across the island. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: to give you an idea of the growth of the cuban civil society come in 2003 the institute of independent economists that cuba counted in a sense within 29,000 citizens have members and supporters of more than 450 civil society organizations. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: one year before the christian liberation movement gave another sign of the growing strength of the

dissidents in cuba by present team before the national cuban assembly, a petition signed by 11,020 citizens for a referendum on a series of political and economic and social rights. [speaking in spanish] transcode this growth at cuban civil society has occurred under significant increase of repression by government authorities. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: perhaps the one emblematic case that this repression is the black spring

of 2003, were 75 activists and civil society leaders, myself included were arrested and convicted in summary trials and sentenced to lengthy and unjust prison sentences. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: this crackdown obviously was intended to eliminate the root of the civilian movement and instills fear in the population, but it only served as a call from any other citizens to join in the search for freedom and the independent bloggers movement. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: today, cuban civil society finds itself in a day set dynamic and robust growth, ever more conscious that citizens have an inalienable right that the state must respect. [speaking in spanish] transco repression of activists every day. [speaking in spanish] transcode the cuban government can be considered state terrorism. [speaking in spanish]

[speaking in spanish] >> translator: a new model of repression consists of arbitrary detention without a court order for small periods of time as a mechanism of harassment, intimidation, psychological civilization of the detainees and their family members to prevent them from exercising their inalienable rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: in the first

four months of this year, cuban commission of human rights and national reconciliation and independent human rights organization in cuba documented 2795 arbitrary detentions and increase of 50% from the same period the year before, 1166. [speaking in spanish] transkei one of the cruelest faces of this repression is the repudiation can about is organized by repressive forces of the castro brothers against the ladies in white. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: and the same way, rapid response brigade paramilitary forces ousted the government physically beat any independent, peaceful individual that tries to organize civil society activities. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: the impunity of the repressed as an incentive for their actions. [speaking in spanish] transcode the castro brothers do not have limit to their cruelty. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: their murderous nature's attempt to execute dozens of people at the beginning of the revolution. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: today, they kill in a more subtle way. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: we must not forget that dad and a very

strange circumstances that the leader of the ladies in white in october 2011. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: also, we cannot forget the deaths on hunger strike by prisoners, orlando zapata adtran zapata tamayo was denied water and william mendoza and 2012 who was tortured by being placed in a boarded-up, dark, damp and future itself.

[speaking in spanish] >> translator: kuan yew fritos soto, a place for activists died two days after the revolutionary national police agent brutally beat him in june 2011. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: and a recent report, the united nations committee against torture criticized the arbitrary detentions, the acts of repudiation, lack of independence between the executive, legislative and judicial branches. lack of information under police custody of kuan yew fritos soto and requested an impartial investigation of the deaths of 202 prisoners that occurred in cuban jets between 2010 and 2011. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: extermination against those who defend and all who oppose the castro is the policy of the state. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: the pats were a true cuban civil society is full of obstacles. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: violations of fundamental rights are enshrined in the constitution of the republic of cuba. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: the penal code includes articles that ambiguous provisions such as pre-criminal social dangers and which are used to prosecute an excuse to become society activists deemed by the government as dangerous. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: amnesty international estimates that

there are around 5000 prisoners in cuba server and send this to train one in four years for allegedly being socially dangerous and they served their sentences alongside individuals whose crimes have been proven. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: in addition, lott ada, the loss for the protection of the national independent and economy of cuba is another indigo aberration by which the government purchased the fundamental and inalienable rights of cuban citizens. this plot is nationally and internationally known as the censorship blah. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: i hope you realize this legal framework is to radical by nature and it splashes away the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the cuban people. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: we can be alike in saint cuba the government does not violate human rights simply because human rights do not exist. [speaking in spanish] the regime of the castro brothers denies cubans bear right to rights. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: in spite of this, cuban civil society advocates for the freedom of thought cubans in a peaceful way, based on the precepts of nonviolent struggle practice by gandy and dr. martin luther king junior. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: from civil society we see an increasing number of proposals aimed at improving the quality of life of all cuban from concrete social event to broad public demands for the government to respect human rights and democratic values. [speaking in spanish]

>> translator: in the fight for democracy, cuban civil society is so is advocated national mac deletion dialog based on their respective document, civil, civil and political rights as a necessary process to achieve a truly democratic cuba. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: to conclude i respectfully ask many japan tupac is the title of the hearing. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: please, show solidarity with the growing and

genuine cuban civil society and condemn all levels of repression to take base in cuba. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: i encourage you to seek other democratic government and parliamentary -- parliamentarians from around the world, multilateral institutions and international ngos to support the troops you the. [speaking in spanish]

transco emissaries, please take into account the words of alleyways of the peace prize on holocaust survivor. women always take sides. neutrality helps the oppressor, never the fate done. action is the only remedy to indifference. [speaking in spanish] >> translator: thank you very much. ..

so we will have to ask you to stop in certain blocks of time. >> [speaking spanish] this is senator menendez. we would ask you to start first.

>> [speaking spanish] >> translator: good morning, good afternoon actually already. i want to bring to your attention that we have her on the line and will take this opportunity just in case the communication gets cut off. >> hello? >> [speaking spanish]

the interpreter were like to say the sound quality is very poor, so i'm doing my best. good afternoon to all of you, the activists in the country. >> to go ahead. >> [speaking spanish]

[speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]

>> he has a lot to say obviously. >> we have audio problems but i would like to give you our warmest from all of the activists and other groups in the government that are still firmly fighting for this change we very much need. i would like to remind you all that it's vital for the cuban people to have the support and solidarity from the free world, not only from our brothers and sisters from the u.s. but all over the world because the cuban people are suffering a lot. we are facing a lot of challenges and the mounting recessions by the government and the never ending address that

have been jailed arbitrarily and are considered now political prisoners and actually today we have fresh news that a new activist has been jailed for eight years. >> you can ask them to go slowly and stop at certain intervals. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: i would say

that our biggest challenges to face the repression and our group is trying to make the mobilization of nonviolent struggles all over the country, non-violent fight. >> [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] with >> translator: all this to

counteract the violent repression by the regime. we need to send an alarm message out. we need our activists to have access to the media so that we can try to get the message out about the importance of this space process that is just now starting. we want help from the free world to get out of the oppression and have access to the internet and other media without their. >> the gentleman also mentioned -- >> im understood that he said it was important to free information. >> i and may have missed that. >> with the record reflect that in the comment he spoke about radio about an indispensable tool and flow of information.

>> [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] there's an old saying that people especially older people like to say and that is that when you're cold you get more money by blocking me, and i

would like to say that when you are in fear you get away from your fear by acting, and we need to find creative ways to send our message out like to have audiovisual images that can be disseminated to the population to show them that yes we can fight for freedom and the liberties that have been taken away from us for over half a century. >> [speaking spanish]

[speaking spanish] >> we need material support. we need information media more specifically. we can see the change day-by-day by using them.

for example in areas there is no activity, no service changes or anything when they see that other areas are changing it is getting motivated and organizing more activity and more protest. that's why again we are saying we need help from the free world to break this informational monopoly to get more specifically dvds because there is a lot of interference of the media, so if we can burn the cd's with our video information we can disseminate it to the rest of the population and their fear will start going away and start reacting because the people just want to change. we feel that on a daily basis. >> i want to ask him to summarize so we can turn to is colleagues in havana.

>> [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish] >> translator: basically the cuban people are not happy any more. they don't want change. this year is going away. we want help from the people than exiling space countries, and we need a space countries to join our efforts because cuba will be a free country before we know it.

>> thank you very much. >> [speaking spanish] >> good afternoon everybody, and thanks again for being in contact with us. it's really appreciated. on from the human rights >> [speaking spanish]

>> it's the name of all of the group's >> can you ask her to repeat and go as slowly as possible since we have transmission challenges? >> [speaking spanish] >> i am a member of the national front for civilian disobedience group. of the ladies in white and feminist movement for civil rights.

>> [speaking spanish] >> translator: because of the activist activities that we carry out on our streets, we have been victims of federal repression mostly by the political police who have even committed acts of state terrorism in our own home. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: all of this just because we voiced our wish to have our human rights respected. we want democracy and the freedom of the cuban people.

>> we have been repressed. >> translator: that is what has motivated us to continue our fight to get a truly space cuba. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: it's good when we see people from other towns and cities come to support us. >> [speaking spanish]

>> it makes us feel that our fight is finally reaching its objective that change is near and cuba will be a space and free country. >> [speaking spanish] >> [speaking spanish] it's very important to have support mostly in disseminating information both domestically and internationally.

>> [speaking spanish] >> several members of the cuban communist party have turned in their cards when they hit seen how we have been oppressed just by a expressing the different opinion. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: our object is growing year. we are no longer the people that remain silent for coming and we have more people joining us and supporting us. >> [speaking spanish]

>> translator: i am sorry i didn't have scripted we were not ready as a precaution we were not told over the phone what we would be talking about. >> [speaking spanish] >> my colleague here had to walk kilometers to get here just so that they wouldn't catch him. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: i was sick for

a few days but i am always up to speed with everybody else is doing. >> we appreciate your testimony and we will go through a little bit more when we asked questions >> [speaking spanish] >> good afternoon ever everybod. secretary of state, senator nunn and as and everybody else present. >> special greetings to my friend.

>> [speaking spanish] >> translator: it makes me very proud and excited to see normando there today because we shared political. >> [speaking spanish] will >> translator: >> here is the best example of

our homeland because he is a journalist that used to disseminate information and the prison. >> [speaking spanish] i'm very proud to see their representatives here today because he suffered all of the oppression with a lot of dignity and decorum. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: it's very important that my colleague found out about this event with a very short notice, and i think

that shows the degree of oppression that we are under. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: that speaks volumes of the repression that we feel. i have, like she said, what kilometers' hide behind trees and bushes. if i were some kind of criminal to attend an event with any other free and space country in the world would be an everyday thing. >> [speaking spanish]

thank god and the intersection for all of the support given to us. it's been hard but we are here and involved. >> [speaking spanish] [speaking spanish]

we are a group of pro democratic peaceful activists myself included. >> [speaking spanish] >> translator: at this very moment there is a black woman that has been on the ponder strike for several days in santa clara. >> [speaking spanish]

>> translator: hear me out here to abuse and rape her 6-year-old daughter. >> [speaking spanish]

[speaking spanish] >> [speaking spanish] >> translator:

>> [speaking spanish] the increase in remittances and the number of trips, no increase in the cultural exchanges. >> the [speaking spanish]