We Canada we support the Cubadecide citizen initiative in its just and historic demand for a binding plebiscite monitored by legitimate democratic institutions. We reiterate our call to all freedom lovers, civil society, parliament to support us in this noble cause for a Cuba where respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law prevail.
Read MoreRoya Hakakian, Iranian writer and human rights defender joined Rosa Maria Paya, founder of the Cubadecide citizen initiative in reminding the world that pro democracy protesters in Cuba are not asking for the end of the embargo. They are asking for FREEDOM.
Read MoreThe regime in Cuba in alliance with 6 other pariah states and dictatorships (Belarus, Nicaragua, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Siria, Russia) voted to silence Volodymyr Zelensky and prevent the presentation of his video address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2022.
Read MoreTalking about the popular protests in Cuba with Exilda Arjona and Alejandro Marcano on Tempranito y de Mañana on Radio Marti. August 3, 2022. Today on the 28th anniversary of the freedom protests known as El Maleconazo it is worth remembering that since the early days of 1959 no Cuban has ever ceased to demand his/her right to live in a free, plural, inclusive and democratic nation.
Read MoreAlliances between authoritarian regimes are one of the greatest global threats facing democracy today. Collaboration between autocrats makes them stronger, and more effective at surveilling, isolating, and persecuting human rights defenders. Two such alliances are between Cuba and China, and Cuba and Russia. And the effects of these alliances on the pro-democratic Cuban movement are stark.
Read MoreCanada’s House of Commons has not passed a single resolution on the human rights situation in Cuba. Originally published in The Hub Canada on July 18 2022 by Sarah Teich and Michael Lima
Read MoreOn the evening of July 14. 2022 hundreds of Cubans protested peacefully in Los Palacios, Pinar del Río and at least two locations in Havana, shouting "Homeland and Life", "Down with the dictatorship!"... The protest in Los Palacios originated on the occasion of a blackout that lasted several hours, after months of systematic power outages.
Read MoreToday, on the anniversary of one of the most brutal crackdowns in recent Cuban history, we owe it to ourselves to learn about this autocracy and to reflect on how Canada can best stand up for democracy and human rights in Cuba.
Read MoreDEMOCRATIC SPACES JOINS the global campaign calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Cuban artists and human rights defenders Luís Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maikel Osorbo as well as all Cuban political prisoners.
Read MoreDemocratic Spaces on Canada’s participation in the Transatlantic Parliamentary Coalition for a Free Cuba held in U.S. Congress in Washington DC on May 12, 2022.
Read MoreMichael Lima, Director of Democratic Spaces responds to the remarks made by Rob Oliphant Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs signing on behalf of Mélanie Jolie, Minister of Foreign Affairs with respect to the Government of Canada’s condemnation of repression in Cuba and the main calls to action on Petition E-3573 on democracy in the island.
Read MoreDemocratic Spaces stands in solidarity with the demands of the people of Nicaragua to live in a free and democratic nation as we commemorate the 4th anniversary of the April 18. 2018 pro democracy protests.
Read MoreCarta de familiares y presos politicos cubanos (AMFA) a la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos denunciando sus condiciones, la falta de debido proceso en sus juicios y pidiendo su liberación inmediata.
Read MoreLetter from the Association of Cuban Mothers and Relatives of Political Prisoners to the Inter-american Commission on Human Rights with a formal denunciation of the conditions of political prisoners in Cuba, the lack of due process and a call for their immediate release.
Read MoreFabricated charges against Luís Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maikel Osorbo such as Public Disorder, insulting symbols of the fatherland, defamation of government officials are in violation of freedom of speech and other articles human rights as reported by Amnesty International
Read MoreLuis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Michael Osorbo face fiscal petitions of 7 and 10 years respectively. Democratic Spaces condemns prosecutors' requests against both artists and calls for their immediate release.
Read MoreDraft Law on Amnesty and Decriminalization of Dissent in Cuba published by the Council for Democratic Transition in Cuba. Proyecto de Ley de Amnistía y Despenalización del Disenso en Cuba.
Read MoreMichael Lima interviewed by Karlene Media Nation. Vacationing in Cuba finances the repressive apparatus used by the Cuban regime to persecute and jail journalists, artists and activists. With revenues from Canadian tourism the regime pays an extensive army of State Security agents, police and snitches to surveil and jail critics.
Read MoreSenator Leo Housakos makes history by becoming the first Canadian legislator to be part of a transatlantic initiative in support of freedom and democracy in Cuba. On March 24, 2022, he delivered an 18-minute speech on Cuba, the longest ever delivered in the Canadian Parliament on gross human rights violations in Cuba. He offered an in-depth analysis of the situation in Cuba, the repression of civil society, the number of political prisoners and the need for solidarity with those leading the peaceful struggle for democracy on the island.
Read MoreOn the initiative of proposing an Amnesty Law in Cuba for the release of all Cuban political prisoners. Democratic Spaces views this initiative mainly as a tool to put pressure on the Cuban dictatorship
Read More
