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Cuba jails evangelical
church leader
Former denominational
president apparently accused of aiding illegal
emigrants
Christian
Examiner, March 31, 2006.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Cuban authorities
jailed an evangelical pastor who until last
year served as national president of his
denomination, apparently on charges of aiding
emigrants who sought to leave the country
illegally. The arrest was made Feb. 20.
Relatives of the Rev. Carlos Lamelas, however,
said the allegations against him are groundless.
Some sources inside the island nation believe
police targeted Lamelas for harassment because
he has challenged the Castro regime on religious
rights issues.
On the morning of his arrest, five police
officers entered the Lamelas home in Havana
and searched it thoroughly before taking
the pastor into custody. They also confiscated
his computer, personal documents and several
pieces of office equipment.
Initially, his wife, Uramis Lamelas, did
not know the whereabouts of her husband.
Later that the week, she learned where he
was being held and requested an interview
with him.
A week passed before authorities granted
her a 10-minute visit on Feb. 27. His wife
said her husband appeared "exhausted
and depressed," and that he had been
isolated from other inmates during his confinement.
Although the couple could not speak openly
because police officers stood close by during
their visit, Lamelas told his wife that
officials are evidently seeking to incriminate
him for aiding emigrants seeking to flee
Cuba without government permission.
At press time, Cuban authorities had not
advised Lamelas or his family of the charges
against him.
Nevertheless, those who know the Lamelas
family said any allegations of aiding emigrants
are totally unfounded.
"They accuse him of getting people
out of the country illegally, which is a
big lie, because to do this costs a lot
of money," said one close family member.
"If he had that kind of money, he wouldn't
be living with hunger like he is now."
Sources in Havana said that the apparent
allegations against Lamelas are part of
a harassment campaign aimed at silencing
a dynamic religious leader.
An ordained minister of the Church of God
(Anderson, Ind.) for more than a decade,
Lamelas planted several house churches while
pastoring a local congregation on the Isle
of Youth. In 2004, while serving as president
of the denomination's General Assembly of
ministers, Lamelas moved his family to Havana.
His troubles began soon after the move
when Lamelas's resisted what he considered
inappropriate government interference in
church affairs. At one point, he refused
to sign what amounted to a loyalty pledge
to the Castro regime and challenged as unconstitutional
certain controls over church activities.
A year ago January, just two months after
the Church of God annual convention overwhelmingly
endorsed Lamelas for a second term as president,
the national board of directors voted to
oust him from the position and expel him
from the church.
Dozens of fellow ministers who questioned
the move and expressed support for Lamelas
were also expelled, without appeal.
Cuba's director of Religious Affairs issued
a ruling almost immediately that endorsed
the disciplinary action against Lamelas,
a move that aroused suspicions of government
complicity in the affair.
Deprived of income and under constant surveillance,
Lamelas and his family have depended on
the kindness of friends to survive for the
past year. During that time, police twice
detained him for questioning before his
arrest.
Before following his call to the ministry,
Lamelas worked as a professional scuba diver.
He and his wife are the parents of two daughters.
A long-time friend who spoke to Uramis
Lamelas March 1 by phone described her as
"not upset, very calm," despite
her ordeal.
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