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FROM
CUBA
Cuba mourns the death of Gustavo Arcos Bergnes
LA HABANA August 10 (Ernesto Roque Cintero,
UPECI / www.cubanet.org) - Gustavo Arcos
Bergnes, leader of the Comité Cubano
Pro Derechos Humanos (Cuban Committee for
Human Rights), and a veteran among Cuban
dissidents, has died in a Havana hospital
at the age of 80.
"I'm very sad, Marta Beatriz Roque
confirmed the news of Gustavo's death. He
died at 11:30 in the morning. Cuba is in
mourning," Marcela Sánchez Santa
Cruz said by telephone, adding: "I
feel deep sorrow for this tireless fighter
who belonged to a betrayed generation. I've
received word from several women in Manzanillo
who, as a sign of mourning, have placed
a black bow in the doors of their houses."
Teresa Rodríguez, the wife of Arcos
Bergnes for more than 25 years, let Santa
Cruz know that the last words of the leader
of the Cuban Committee for Human Rights
(CCPDH) were a call for unity among the
forces of dissidence inside Cuba and in
exile.
The dissident's remains will be cremated
and his ashes will be taken to Camajuaní.
José Antonio Fornaris, director
of the independent news agency Cuba-Verdad,
who formed part of the CCPDH, said: "It's
a big loss. I consider Cuba to be in mourning.
Arcos Bergnes was a contemporary of Fidel
Castro. All those of that generation are
going to go away together," alluding
to the Cuban dictator, whose state of health
is maintained as a "state secret."
Gustavo Arcos took part with Fidel Castro
in the assault on the Moncada Barracks in
July, 1953. After 1959 he worked as the
ambassador to Belgium. He was imprisoned
for supposed counterrevolutionary activities
and in 1988 he succeeded Ricardo Bofill
as president of the Cuban Committee for
Human Rights.
Versión
original en español
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