Carlos Michael Morales Rodríguez

"I had to go on the hunger strike for the following reason. I was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison, falsely accused of public disorder simply for exercising my inalienable human rights—freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful protest, which is exactly what I did on July 11. Throughout my imprisonment, I was transferred through every prison in Villa Clara, where I suffered repeated beatings and was taken to sealed cells and solitary confinement. At every prison I passed through, I faced brutal repression. I had to resort to hunger strikes multiple times to resist these repressive actions and the physical and psychological torture I was subjected to. I chose to serve my full sentence and refused to participate in what they call 'reeducation,' which involves going to a forced labor camp—though officially it is voluntary. I also rejected the option of conditional release. I was innocent and should have been freed immediately and unconditionally. My freedom should not have been contingent on anything."

"Then came the Black Spring of 2003, when 75 opposition activists were unjustly imprisoned simply for defending human rights in Cuba, for practicing independent journalism, and for exercising their inalienable human rights. This gradually raised my awareness, and by 2005, following the first releases of political prisoners from the Group of 75—many of whom were suffering from serious health issues—I entered the world of opposition. Here in Caibarién, there was Margarito Broche Espinosa, who had been released on a special parole from the Group of 75 case. He led an organization called the Association of Balseros and Human Rights, Peace, Democracy, and Freedom. It was a civic group that denounced human rights violations against the balseros, who are heavily repressed in the city of Caibarién. But it also exposed human rights violations occurring throughout our country and promoted the respect for human rights within our nation. That was where I began my journey in the world of opposition."

"From a young age, I could perceive that Cuba was a dictatorship, that the Cuban people lived in fear, that if people spoke out and expressed their feelings, they could be imprisoned. The repression at that time was enormous, overwhelming. People were afraid to express their religious beliefs, whether Christian, Catholic, or traditional African religions. There was significant repression in the 1980s. I could perceive this, and it was a feeling that I always carried within me until, before even turning 30, I made a decision. I overcame fear—because we all lived in fear—I conquered that fear, and that was when I decided to join the fight for human rights in Cuba."