Book written by Oswaldo Payá to be published
By Pedazos de la Isla
July 1, 2013

Reflections about the reality of Cuba in the words of deceased dissident leader Oswaldo Paya Sardiñas will be published in a book, according to an announcement made by relatives during an exclusive interview with journalist Juan Manuel Cao in the city of Miami. 

Paya’s widow, Ofelia Acevedo, and his daughter Rosa Maria Paya, offered an interview in the news program “El Espejo” on the night of June 28th, where they chatted about different topics and revealed the news.

According to Acevedo, the leader of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) finished writing his book just 2 weeks before his death.

The book “was written by an everyday Cuban who has suffered, has lived and has dreamed inside of Cuba and who has had the experience which all Cubans have had under 53 years of totalitarianism, and in addition who has had the experience of always having rebelled against that domination”, explained Ofelia.

She also classifies the book as “a reflection of Cuba’s reality in this very important moment in Cuban history, where he speaks of dangers and hopes” and it’s objective is to help all Cubans understand that “change is possible”.

On her part, the young Rosa Maria Paya, who has distinguished herself as one of the leaders of MCL, explained that she has already read the book and believes that “it will be important for Cubans to have access, in mass, to this series of ideas which are not just simply descriptions but are also a project to turn that possibility, which is to live in freedom in our country, into a reality”.

This 22nd of July will mark exactly one year since Oswaldo Paya died in strange circumstances, alongside the young activist Harold Cepero, in a car ‘accident’ in the city of Bayamo.  It has also been a year since the Cuban dictatorship has prohibited an independent investigation of the events.

However, relatives of Paya and fellow dissidents have not stopped demanding the investigation and assure that, whether it be from exile or from within Cuba, they will continue demanding that the process be carried out in order to find the truth.

To watch the interview with Rosa Maria and Ofelia (in Spanish) click here.

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