Even after the death of Ladies in White founder Laura Pollan, the Castro regime has shown no sign of reducing its repression and human rights violations against the Cuban people. While Cuba said its final goodbye this past weekend to one of its heroic figures, the dictatorship of the Castro brothers continued their violent and brutal oppression of peaceful activists.

Juan Tamayo describes how entire neighborhoods were surrounded by Cuban State Security and locked down to prevent Cubans from attending the services for Laura Pollan. In all, 20 Ladies in White and their supporters were arrested by Castro Political Police when they attempted to leave their homes to attend the services.

Capitol Hill Cubans has a statement by the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation detailing the record increase in arrests and violence against Cuba's peaceful dissidents and opposition groups in the last few weeks. The record set in September for violent detentions is on pace to be topped this month as the Castro regime, more desperate and fearful than ever, slams down its heavy hand on the growing opposition movement in Cuba.

It is worth noting that all of this is taking place while there are groups and individuals in the U.S. promoting a softer line against the Castro dictatorship. These characters point to the farcical reforms taking place in Cuba, but not one of them dares admit that repression on the island at the hands of the regime has drastically risen.