Esteemed Cuban dissident Héctor Palacios Ruiz, who was among the 75 activists imprisoned during the 2003 Black Spring, has died in Miami this past Saturday. At 81, Palacios Ruiz had been residing in the United States since 2015 and endured three years and eight months in the regime's prisons, as reported by Martí Noticias.
In 1989, alongside Víctor Serpa and Joaquín Rodríguez, Palacios Ruiz co-founded the first liberal organization under the Castro regime, known as the Radicals and Democrats Free Cuba Movement. Born on July 22, 1943, in Pico Blanco, nestled in the Escambray Mountains of Villa Clara, he faced a harsh sentence in 2003. He was condemned to 25 years in prison during Cuba's Black Spring, joining 75 other Cuban dissidents in this fate.
Released in 2006 for health reasons, Palacios traveled to Spain for treatment and returned to Havana on September 20, 2008, after eleven months. "We worked with him for many years, enduring the relentless persecution and harassment from the regime. Today, we mourn his loss, but he will always be with us, guiding us in our struggle," José Díaz Silva, leader of the Opponents Movement for a New Republic, expressed to Martí Noticias. "This grief is profound not just for his family, siblings, and friends, but for the Cuban people whom he fought for so passionately," he added.
Palacios also founded the Cuban Human Rights Movement (MDHC) and served as the former coordinator of the Liberal Unity of Cuba (ULC) and the Varela Project. Adopted by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, he recounted his time in Villa Marista prison, from where he was transferred to Kilo 5 and Medio in Pinar del Río. He shared with foreign media about spending nearly a year in a high-security cell, measuring about three square meters, without ventilation, isolated, sleeping on the floor, and initially not allowed any outdoor time.
In December 2017, the Cuban government barred him from traveling to the island to attend his mother's funeral.
Frequently Asked Questions about Héctor Palacios and Cuba's Black Spring
Who was Héctor Palacios Ruiz?
Héctor Palacios Ruiz was a prominent Cuban dissident who co-founded the Radicals and Democrats Free Cuba Movement and was imprisoned during the Black Spring of 2003.
What was the Black Spring in Cuba?
The Black Spring refers to a government crackdown in 2003 in Cuba, where 75 dissidents, including Héctor Palacios, were arrested and sentenced to long prison terms for their opposition activities.
What contributions did Héctor Palacios make to Cuban opposition movements?
Héctor Palacios was instrumental in founding the Cuban Human Rights Movement and played a significant role in the Liberal Unity of Cuba and the Varela Project.