Cuban Priest Alberto Reyes Challenges Release of Prisoners: "Why Not Extend the Same to All?"

Cuban priest Alberto Reyes, a staunch critic of the communist regime, has raised questions about the recent release of 553 prisoners, an act carried out by the government following negotiations with the United States and with the Vatican's mediation. In a Facebook post, Reyes expressed his mixed feelings. While he celebrates the freedom of these individuals, he criticizes the regime for using them as bargaining chips and expresses concern over their future: whether they will be pressured to leave Cuba, if they will be able to reintegrate into society peacefully, or if they will face continuous harassment.

Hailing from the diocese of Camagüey, Reyes has voiced his disappointment over the fact that not all political prisoners have been freed. He ponders the implications if more protests arise and whether this release is merely a tactic to free up prison spaces that will soon be filled again as the public takes to the streets in protest.

Thoughts on Manipulation and Freedom

Alberto Reyes shared a reflective piece titled "I've Been Thinking… (XCVIII)" addressing the manipulative tactics at play. He wrote, "I find myself engulfed in these 'conflicted feelings.' On one hand, I rejoice at the release of some of our political prisoners, yet on the other, seeing them treated crudely as currency for the regime's continuity brings out the worst in me."

He argues that political imprisonment is a violation of personal liberty. There shouldn't be political prisoners, and using them as commodities undermines their right to free expression and dignity as individuals. He questions, "What about those who remain incarcerated? If this is truly a gesture of goodwill, why not extend it to everyone?"

Concerns for the Future and Civil Rights

Reyes further questions the fate of those who have been released. "Will they be forced to leave the country against their will? Will they be allowed to reintegrate into society peacefully, or will their lives be made miserable?" He warns that as protests increase, will this release merely be a strategy to clear cells that will soon be occupied again? The Cuban people, sooner or later, will demand change or at least a better life.

Beyond the news of these returns home, the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and the concessions granted to the Cuban government, Reyes highlights the need for deeper solutions that rely on internal decisions unrelated to the United States.

He stresses that it's up to the government to recognize citizens' rights to publicly express their opinions, even if those opinions include a desire for systemic change. The government must cease repression and violence against those who choose to protest peacefully in any form. It's vital for the government to accept political diversity, embrace genuine multiparty politics, and allow citizens to decide their preferred political system at the polls.

Reyes calls on the government to let the Cuban people exist freely, to establish a rule of law that protects ordinary citizens from the whims of power, and to respect the people's voice, no longer ignoring or excluding them from decisions about the country's present and future.

He concludes, "It's up to us, each from our own place, to continually demand what is rightfully ours, what should never have been taken away."