Senator Housakos: Historic Motion on Cuba
Senator Leo Housakos makes history by reading what it is most likely the longest ever speech given in the Canadian Parliament (over 18 minutes) in support of democracy in Cuba and by being the first Canadian legislator to be part of a global initiative in support of freedom in Cuba as he became a member of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum on November, 2021.
Michael Lima Cuadra, Director of Democratic Spaces and promoter of the objectives of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum.
On March 24, 2022, history was made in Canada. In the Senate Chamber, the voice of solidarity with the cause of democracy and freedom for Cuba resounded loud and clear. Senator Leo Housakos, as part of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum, presented a Motion calling for the condemnation of the illegality of the Cuban regime, the recognition of the pro-democratic opposition in Cuba as valid interlocutors and the right of the Cuban people to claim their rights in a peaceful demonstration.
The petition was strongly supported by MP Michael Chong, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Conservative Party's Shadow Cabinet. Senator Denise Batters and Senator David Mark Wells endorsed it. Senator Housakos also announced that Conservative Party Interim Leader Candice Bergen expressed her support for the motion.
Photos from left to right: Michael Lima Cuadra with Rosa María Payá during the opening gala of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum in Miami on November 19, 2021. Senator Denise Batters (Senate of Canada Chambers, March 24. 2022), Senator David Wells (Senate of Canada Chambers, March 24, .2022)
Michael Lima was honoured to be invited by Senator Housakos' dynamic team to write his keynote address on Cuba's current human rights situation in the context of Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Canada's role in this historic moment as Cubans demand their right to live in a democracy.
This presentation to the Senate of Canada of this historic MOTION for the freedom and democracy in Cuba is of great SIGNIFICANCE because it is the first step on the long road that will hopefully lead this country to break what I call the shameful WALL OF SILENCE of the Justin Trudeau government and the mainstream media on the repression and the serious and systematic violations of human rights in Cuba.
Senator Leo Housakos and Michael Lima in the Speakers’ seat in the Senate Chambers. March 24, 2022
At a meeting in the Senator's office in which other members of the Cuban Canadian community were also present, I will never forget when Senator Housakos said publicly that when he read the 18 minute speech in the Senate he noticed the uncomfortable faces of some who claim to defend human rights in some countries but when it comes to Cuba they are irritated by the condemnation of that regime. They are the kind of people I consider to be human rights menu defenders: they only pick and choose to defend human rights when it comes to condemning right-wing regimes but not left-wing ones. However, as Oswaldo Paya said: “dictatorships have no political color, there are no right-wing or left-wing dictatorships, there are simply dictatorships.”
Senator Housakos also publicly announced to all present that the motion would be open until the end of the current Parliament. He also stated that he would continue to seek support in the Senate from all possible friends of freedom in Cuba.
I believe that the introduction of this motion makes history by internationalizing the cause of democracy in Cuba and highlights the hard and dedicated work of the freedom-loving Cuban-Canadian community.
The Canadian senator is a fierce advocate of democracy and understands that it must be defended globally against the forces of authoritarianism. Previously in September 2021, the Senator published an article in True North sensitizing Canadians to the moral implications of traveling to Cuba as tourism money and investment directly contribute to enriching GAESA, the Armed Forces economic conglomerate that uses those resources to surveil, persecute, imprison journalists, artists, human rights activists and Cubans critical of the regime.
In November 20. 2021, Senator Housakos made history by becoming the first Canadian legislator to be part of a global initiative in support of Cuba's pro-democracy cause when he joined the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum, an initiative launched by the Panamerican Foundation of Democracy and Cubadecide promoters. On that date Senator Housakos joined senators such as Mario Diaz Balart, (US representative for Florida’s 25th district), Marco Rubio (Senator from Florida), Rick Scott (Senator from Florida), Dita Charanzová (Vice President of the European Parliament), Hermann Tertsch (Member of the European Parliament), Luis Almagro (Secretary General of the Organization of American States), Francis Suarez (Major of Miami), Maria Elvira Salazar (U.S. representative for Florida's 27th congressional district) among distinguished legislators from Holland, Uruguay, Spain and key members of the pro democratic civil society in the United States and Latin America signed the Miami Declaration. The declaration is “committed to influencing the executive branch and government institutions to secure,” among other key proposals, to denounce the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime, recognize the Cuban opposition and civil society as valid interlocutors and stop all sources of financing to the repressive machinery of the Cuban regime.
During a meeting with Senator Housakos, Michael Lima Cuadra along with other members of the Cuban Canadian community thanked Senator Housakos for his valuable support with the cause of democracy and freedom in Cuba.
Michael Lima reading a paper thanking Senator Leo Housakos for his valuable support and solidarity with the cause of freedom in Cuba in a meeting in the Senate of Canada with the attendance of members of the Cuban Canadian community. March 24 .2022
Michael Lima Cuadra standing up for freedom in Cuba outside the Senate of Canada building in Ottawa, Canada after a historic meeting with Senator Leo Housakos and his dynamic team, following the presentation on a historic motion denouncing the illegitimacy of the Cuban regime. March 24. 2022.
Senator Housakos,
Thank you for inviting us to the Senate, icon of democracy in Canada that fulfills the vital role of representing minorities in this great country.
We recognize and appreciate your role as the voice of the voiceless in the Senate of Canada, standing up for freedom and democracy in Cuba and around the world.
The freedom loving Cuban Canadian community is grateful for your valuable support and solidarity. We are united by the love of freedom and the understanding that we live in a world where the greatest danger is the expansion of authoritarianism.
This presentation to the Senate of Canada of this historic MOTION for the freedom and democracy in Cuba is of great SIGNIFICANCE because it is the first step on the long road that will hopefully lead this country to break what I call the shameful WALL OF SILENCE of the Justin Trudeau government and the mainstream media on the repression and the serious and systematic violations of human rights in Cuba.
Cuba is the longest lasting dictatorship in the history of the Americas and one of the most brutal of our time. The regime put our beautiful island in the onerous position of being the country with the least political and civil liberties in the Americas and on par with the absence of liberties in other regimes in the world, such as Russia and Iran. Cuba is also the leading jailer in the Americas and the number of political prisoners surpasses Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and other countries under dictatorship.
We need the solidarity of senators and parliamentarians in Canada to advocate and lead an international effort for the release of all Cuban political prisoners. Political imprisonment in Cuba is the greatest human drama experienced by Cuban families today, many of whom have their children imprisoned with brutal, unjust and absurd sentences of up to 30 years in prison for simply exercising their rights to free expression and peaceful protest.
In the face of injustice, barbarism and the serious and systematic human rights violations of that regime, a new generation of Cubans is rising up today, the culture of rebellion is being reborn. Cubans have lost their fear and are demanding their rights in public. We saw it on July 11, 2021 when the nation experienced what is already considered the largest and most significant peaceful, spontaneous rebellion in the recent history of Cuba since its establishment as a republic in 1902.
But civil society and pro democratic groups in Cuba are cornered by an army of police. It is simply not possible for a people whose only weapons are ideas and gladioli to confront this tyranny that has accumulated 6 decades of experience as a jailer of society if Cubans do not count on the solidarity of democratic nations like Canada. The success of any peaceful resistance struggle requires as a vital component the support and solidarity of democratic nations and international organizations.
We are hopeful that this MOTION advocating and defending a just and noble cause sets a chain of events that lead to greater solidarity among senators and parliamentarians with the cause of freedom and democracy in Cuba.
Please let all members of the Conservative Party of Canada know that your party true to core Canadian values that stand for the defense of freedom, democracy, human rights, justice and the rule of law can count on our community for support at this crucial time.
Thank you.
Michael Lima Cuadra. Senate of Canada. March 24. 2022.