IRI Releases Dissenting Voices

June 23, 2004

June 3 – IRI hosted an event to release its latest edition of Dissenting Voices, a publication which chronicles the activities of the democracy resistance movement in Cuba after the arrests of more than 75 dissidents in March 2003 for "acts against the security of the state." At the event, IRI Chairman and Senator John McCain, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega, and USAID Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Adolfo Franco discussed Cuba’s pro-democracy movement and praised their work.

The discussion included comments from Dr. Pedro V. Roig and Orlando Gutierrez on the state of the pro-democracy movement. Dr. Pedro V. Roig is Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting at the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau, which oversees the operation of Radio and TV Marti broadcasts to Cuba. Mr. Gutierrez is National Secretary for the Cuban Democratic Directorate, a Cuban solidarity group that supports non-violent democratic transition and human rights in Cuba.

The afternoon event, held at the Senate Hart Office Building, was attended by over 100 guests including the press, think tanks, non-profits, and representatives from legislative and executive branches of government.

To view articles on the event, click on: Political crackdown fails to quell dissent, The Washington Times, June 7, 2004 or McCain: Cuba Pro-Democracy Movement Strong, Associated Press, June 3, 2004

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Dissenting Voices

A nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing democracy worldwide