OPEN LETTER FROM THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP REGARDING THE DEPORTATION PROCESS AGAINST CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ DUE IN COURT ON OCTOBER 6, 2020
Published by Ramon Saul Sanchez on Facebook September 25, 2020

THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT WISHES TO PUBLICLY EXPRESS ITS CONCERN TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, DURING HIS VISIT TO MIAMI, ABOUT THE POSSIBLE REPATRIATION TO CUBA, OR DEPORTATION TO A THIRD COUNTRY, OF CUBAN CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND PRESIDENT OF OUR NON-VIOLENT MOVEMENT, RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ, DUE TO HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM WHO HAVE OPPRESSED HIS PEOPLE FOR OVER SIX DECADES AND THREATEN TO DESTROY OUR DEMOCRACY IN THE UNITED STATES. 

RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ HAS LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR 53 YEARS AS A CUBAN REFUGEE.  HE WAS SENT TO EXILE BY HIS PARENTS TO THIS GENEROUS NATION WHEN HE WAS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD, THROUGH THE “FREEDOM FLIGHTS” UNDER THE CUBAN REFUGEE ACT, TO PREVENT THE CUBAN DICTATORSHIP LED BY THE CASTRO FAMILY FROM SENDING HIM TO FIGHT FOREIGN WARS ON BEHALF OF THE THEN SOVIET EMPIRE.  HIS PARENTS STAYED BEHIND.  HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO SEE HIS MOTHER AGAIN.  HIS FAMILY, LIKE THE FAMILIES OF SO MANY OTHER CUBANS, WAS DESTROYED. 

AT A VERY YOUNG AGE HE BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE EXILE MOVEMENTS TO HELP FREE HIS HOMELAND.  DUE TO HIS PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISM, SOON HE BECAME A TARGET OF THE CUBAN TOTALITARIAN REGIME WHO CONSTANTLY ATTACKS HIM ON THE OFFICIAL MEDIA AND HAS TRIED TO INFLUENCE THE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY TO STOP SANCHEZ AND THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT FROM CONDUCTING OUR NON-VIOLENT STRUGGLE IN THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE HAVE CONCEIVED THROUGHOUT DECADES, INCLUDING THE VERY POPULAR “DEMOCRACY FLOTILLAS” WITH THE “LIGHTS OF FREEDOM” THAT HAVE TAKEN OUR PEACEFUL PROTESTS TO NEAR CUBA MANY TIMES IN THE PAST TO LET THE CUBAN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR PLIGHT.

SINCE AGE 13, SANCHEZ HAS ALWAYS WORKED VERY HARD TO SUSTAIN HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY AND HE HAS LIVED OFF HIS OWN EFFORTS UNTIL THIS DAY WHEN HE RECENTLY TURNED 66 AND CONTINUES TO BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.  HE HAS NEVER REQUESTED ANY SOCIAL ASSISTANCE HERE AND HAS ALWAYS SERVED HIS COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS THROUGHOUT DECADES.  HE HAS BEEN EMPLOYED FOR 22 YEARS WITH THE SAME COMPANY, BUILDING AND MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE POOR.  HE BELIEVES THIS IS THE BEST WAY HE CAN EXPRESS HIS GRATITUDE TO THIS GREAT NATION WHICH HE LOVES AS HIS OWN. 

SANCHEZ FIRST APPLIED FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY IN 2002. THE ANSWER TO HIS APPLICATION CAME 15 YEARS LATER, DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, A FEW DAYS AFTER A COMMITTEE  FROM THE CUBA REGIME VISITED MIAMI AND MET WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES HERE.

SADLY, BECAUSE OF HIS IMMIGRATION ORDEAL, SANCHEZ WAS DENIED HIS MEDICARE INSURANCE WHEN HE TURNED 65 AND HE WAS TOLD THAT HE MAY EVEN BE DEPRIVED OF RECEIVING HIS RETIREMENT PENSION OF HIS LIFELONG GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN HE DECIDES TO RETIRE.  

SANCHEZ’ LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM AND HUMAN DECENCY HAS GAINED HIM THE RESPECT OF THE DIFFERENT SOUTH FLORIDA PERSONALITIES AND COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT AGAINST DEPORTATION AND FOR HIS PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS.  SANCHEZ HAS BEEN HONORED WITH PROCLAMATIONS OF SUPPORT FOR HIS PERMANENT RESIDENT APPLICATION BY THE CITY OF MIAMI, THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSION, THE CITY OF HIALEAH, THE CITY OF SWEETWATER, THE CITY OF DORAL, AS WELL AS PRESTIGIOUS ENTITIES SUCH AS THE LATIN BUILDERS’ ASSOCIATION, THE CUBAN PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE ASSEMBLY, THE CUBAN HISTORIC POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND MANY MORE CIVIC AND PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS.

HIS POPULAR SUPPORT IS SUCH THAT OVER 18 THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION ONLINE, IN CHANGE.ORG, WHICH WAS BEGUN BY PROFESSIONAL MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHER VANESSA ALONSO, ASKING THE GOVERNMENT FOR HIS RESIDENCY.  SANCHEZ HAS HOSTED A RADIO PROGRAM IN THE SPANISH RADIO STATION LA PODEROSA FOR OVER 20 YEARS, WHERE LISTENERS CALL IN AND MASSIVELY EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT AGAISNT HIS DEPORTATION.

IT WAS SANCHEZ WHO INTRODUCED THE NON-VIOLENCE APPROACH IN THE CUBAN EXILE COMMUNITY OVER THREE DECADES AGO AND HE HAS HELPED STRENGTHEN THE NON-VIOLENT OPPOSITION MOVEMENT IN CUBA AS WELL.  AS IT’S OFTEN THE CASE FOR MANY PRO-ACTIVE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, SANCHEZ WAS ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES IN ANTI-CASTRO DEMONSTRATIONS AND SERVED A FOUR YEAR SENTENCE FOR NOT TESTIFYING AGAINST ANTI-CASTRO CUBANS IN REGARDS TO AN ALLEGED ATTEMPT AGAINST FIDEL CASTRO WHEN HE VISITED NEW YORK IN 1979.  BUT SANCHEZ WAS NEVER CHARGED MUCH LESS CONVICTED OF ANY ACT OF TERRORISM.  SANCHEZ DESPISES TERRORISM AS MUCH AS HE LOVES FREEDOM. HIS OFFENSE WAS “MERELY REMAINING SILENT” AS THE APPELLATE COURT DESCRIBED IT IN ITS DECISION DURING HIS CONTEMPT SENTENCE REDUCTION FROM 9 TO FOUR YEARS.  THIS HAPPENED 38 YEARS AGO.  

VERY WELL-KNOWN PERSONALITIES SUCH AS SENATOR MARCO RUBIO AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN l. BOVO, Jr., SENATOR ROBERT “BOB” MENENDEZ, FORMER CITY OF HIALEAH MAYOR AND REPUBLICAN LEADER JULIO MARTINEZ, AS WELL AS THE MAYORS OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED CITIES HAVE ADVOCATED FOR SANCHEZ’ CASE.  WHEN ASKED BY TV HOST AMBROSIO HERNANDEZ, SENATOR MARCO RUBIO STATED IN AN UNIVISION INTERVIEW THAT HE HAD INFORMED THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT SANCHEZ’ CASE.  HOWEVER, TO THIS DATE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ANSWER AND THE CASE APPEARS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF REMOVAL OF SANCHEZ FROM THE UNITED STATES WHICH COULD MEAN A DEATH SENTENCE FOR HIM. 

SANCHEZ’ DEPORTATION OR REPATRIATION WOULD LEAVE A VERY DEEP WOUND IN THE CUBAN COMMUNITY THAT WILL NOT BE EASILY FORGOTTEN.  BUT WORSE YET, IF REPATRIATED TO CUBA, SANCHEZ WILL BE EXECUTED OR TORTURED OR INCARCERATED FOR LIFE AS THE CUBAN REGIME VIEWS HIM AS ONE OF ITS WORSE ENEMIES INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT SANCHEZ IS A MODERATE PERSON THAT HAS USED NON-VIOLENCE FOR OVER THREE DECADES AGAINST THAT REGIME TO BRING ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CHANGES FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE.  SO INTERESTED IS THE CUBAN REGIME ON SETTING ITS MURDEROUS HANDS ON SANCHEZ THAT THEIR OWN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, BRUNO RODRIGUEZ, RECENTLY “WONEDERED” DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE, ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE DEPORTATION PROCESS AGAINST SANCHEZ BY THE US GOVERNMENT.

THE FATE OF ACTIVIST RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ IS IN THE HANDS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AT THIS POINT AND OUR MOVEMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY HUMBLY ASK THE PRESIDENT TO STOP SUCH PROCEEDING THAT CAN ONLY SERVE TO PLEASE THE CUBAN REGIME.  WE ASK FROM THE PRESIDENT TO GRANT MR. SANCHEZ PERMANENT RESIDENCY AS HE DESERVES AFTER LIVING HERE 53 YEARS, WORKING VERY HARD AND LOVING THIS COUNTRY AS HIS VERY OWN. 

HIS COMMITMENT TO THE NON-VIOLENT STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IS THE SAME COMMITMENT FOR FREEDOM THAT MANY AMERICANS HAVE STRUGGLE FOR AND EVEN GIVEN THEIR PRECIOUS LIVES TO PRESERVE IT.  IT SHOULD NOT BE THE DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY THAT STANDS AS A BEAM OF LIGHT OF FREEDOM TO REST OF THE WORLD THE ONE THAT DELIVERS CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ TO A SURE DEATH AT THE HANDS OF NOT ONLY THE ENSLAVER OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE BUT ALSO THE SWORN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY.

HOPING THAT OUR MESSAGE FINDS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SO THAT RAMON SAUL SANCHEZ MAY CONTINUE TO LIVE IN FREEDOM IN THIS, HIS OTHER HOMELAND, WE AT THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT REMAIN,

RESPECTFULLY,
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE