Protest and arrests in Pinar del Río

San Juan y Martínez, Pinar del Río. (Via telephone) - Rolando Casares Soto, director of the Republican Party of Cuba in the province of Pinar del Río, was arrested along with Irina León Valladares, director of FLAMUR in the same province, as they left the municipality of San Juan this morning. They were going to participate in a meeting in the capital city of Pinar del Río at the FLAMUR Civic Center, at the home of the municipal director, Olgalidia Torres Iglesias, where a protest was held this morning with the aim of preventing the meeting.

Released in the afternoon, Casares commented that in addition to the usual SS threats, this time they said there would be no street celebrations on January 28th for José Martí's birthday; they would only be allowed inside schools. "They can't hide their fear of the people and the opposition," he added. For information, contact Rolando Casares at 53 31 2212 or Olgalidia Torres at 53 03 0004.