When I listen to these facts, I have the impression that I'm listening to a Cuban radio station. I am from Cuba. I was born in Cuba. I was raised in Cuba. I left my country to go to Jamaica, and from Jamaica I came to Canada.
Cuba was traditionally attracting immigrants from all over the world. My grandparents were immigrants from Jamaica. Not even Haitians want to stay in Cuba now. So obviously we are talking about two different countries. It's like the sun and the moon; it's absolutely....
These facts are provided by the Cuban government, the same government that doesn't accept the existence of political prisoners in Cuba. How do you trust a totalitarian regime to provide reliable information regarding human rights, regarding health care, regarding education?
In Cuba we are indoctrinated in communism. There is no right to choose education. You must study communism whether you like it or not. If you are a Jehovah's Witness, you are not allowed to enter university. When I was in high school, the best student in my class was a Jehovah's Witness, and she was banned from the university. Everyone was very sad for this girl because she was the best student and she was not allowed into university.
Cubans have been persecuted for religious reasons, for political reasons, for ideological reasons, even for thinking differently. The fact that I am in Canada talking about human rights in Cuba makes someone wonder, why is this human rights committee being addressed? Why not talk in Cuba about human rights in Cuba?
I had to come from Cuba to Canada to listen to Canadians who go as tourists to Cuba, who spend 25 days or a year--I don't know how long--when I, myself, as a Cuban, am allowed to go to Cuba for only three weeks. That's the maximum. And most probably, after this meeting I won't be allowed to enter Cuba at all.
So I don't know which country we are talking about here. It makes absolutely no sense.