Cuban human rights activist Yris Perez Aguilera was brutally beaten by Castro Political Police when she was arrested several weeks ago. Today, she is still suffering from the injuries sustained during that vicious and violent beat down. Because of her status as a member of the growing opposition movement in Cuba, Yris’ options for medical treatment are few. The health care system in Cuba for regular citizens is abominable, and it is even worse for accused opposition members. For Yris to admit herself into a State-run hospital to seek medical attention is tantamount to putting herself into the hands of the Castro regime’s thugs once again. Once they have her, she will be subject once again to arrest and more beatings.
For Cuba’s peaceful opposition who are suffering injuries from the daily beatings they are subjected to, it is a choice between bad and worse: either they continue to suffer the pain from their injuries, or they subject themselves to more arrests or beatings at a Castro hospital.
Can you imagine if this were Winnie Mandela under apartheid in South Africa? OMG. Absolute media pandemonium. Celebrities in an uproar. Everybody demanding action. But some Cuban woman, black or whatever? Not an issue.