Friday, May 5, 2017

Cuban May Day Flag Protester Daniel Llorente remains jailed, now faces political show trial

"Freedom begins in the mind and that is something that has to change in Cubans, they are afraid to tell the truth." - Daniel Llorente Miranda

Daniel Llorente Miranda, age 52, jailed and facing show trial in Cuba
 
 The man who defied the Castro regime and exposed its totalitarian nature on May Day has been identified and his name is Daniel Llorente Miranda, age 52 and a taxi driver. He is an independent dissident, not belonging to any organization.  He's been jailed since May 1, 2017, now charged with "public disorder and resistance" for his seconds long run  with an American flag in front of the Castro regime's May Day gathering in the "Revolutionary Plaza" in Havana shouting "freedom for the people of Cuba" before being tackled down, beaten up and taken away by the secret police.

His son, Eliécer Llorente Pérez, was finally able to see him for ten minutes on Friday, May 5, 2017 and reports that his father in is good spirits and being held at the Technical Department of Investigations of the Police in 100 and Aldabó [Departamento Técnico de Investigaciones de la Policía en 100 y Aldabó]

The dictatorship's official media mouthpiece Granma, with out identifying him, declared his protest a "annexationist monologue" and sought to slander Daniel Llorente in an editorial. But what the official media writes about this independent activist does not match up with his past statements and actions.

Daniel had protested peacefully at least three times before with the American flag. When President Barack Obama arrived in Havana last March he could be seen carrying the flag, again when cruise ship Adonia docked in Cuba on May 2, 2016 and on August 31, 2017 at the Santa Clara airport when commercial flights between the United States and Cuba started up again.

Independent journalist Augusto Cesar San Martin had interviewed the independent Cuban dissident in December of 2016 and his civic consciousness and courage come across:
"Freedom begins in the mind and that is something that has to change in Cubans, they are afraid to tell the truth. The truth is that in Cuba there is a system where the biggest beneficiary is the government. The people work and benefit the State."
In another interview with the same journalist Daniel Llorento explained "It's my right to go anywhere in Cuba with the flag of the United States. ... That is my way of expressing  myself and it does not hurt anyone."

Please call your Congressman and Senators in Washington DC and ask them to contact the Cuban Embassy in Washington DC and ask for Daniel Llorento's release.  This free man living in Cuba should not be imprisoned for exercising a fundamental human right.

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