Via Stefania, the following is my translation of a note from Cuban Dissident Marta Beatriz Roque, relating a conversation via telephone with a Cuban State Security agent: (Original in Spanish below the fold.)
Informational Release
I would like to make this personal information public:
On April 17, 2007 I recieved death threats via telephone in an attempt to force me to stop appearing on Radio Marti and so that I would not allow a visit from three Potugese journalists to my home.
At three in the afternoon, I had just finished recording an interview with Maria Marquez of Radio Marti on part three of my essay titled “Two Faces of a Coin.”The journalists from RTP (Radio y Televisión Portuguesa), Sandra Filgueiras y Bruno de Jesús, had called at ten til 4, ten meetings before our scheduled meeting, and informed that the Cuban Center for International Media had called on them and ordered them to meet with the Vice Minister of Foreign Relations in twenty minutes time, which prevented our meeting. I took a call I had waiting on the phone and when the man began to threaten me, I reacted and recorded the following:
Voice: Martha you are putting your life in danger. You will be encarcerated once again..
Martha Beatriz: Si, no, no, no problem. If I have to go back to jail, Ill go back to jail. You know that this here is however the Cuban government wants it to be, so it makes no difference to me.
Voice: It makes no difference to you, right Martha?
Martha Beatriz: Exactly the same. Anything else?
Voice: You want me to put you in a cold prison cell, Martha?
Martha Beatriz: A cold prison cell? Sure. No problem.
Voice: Yes Martha, you will fall into (be put into) that one. ¿No?
Martha Beatriz: You have that ability?
Voice: Of course I do.
Martha Beatriz: Ah bueno!!!!
Voice: You are speaking to someone from State Security.
Martha Beatriz: Ah! Im speaking to someone from Sate Security, then you shouldnt have any problems (in encarcerating her)
Voice: You hear me Martha? Be careful, be careful.
Martha Beatriz: Soon you will hear your voice on Radio Martí.
Voice: Yeah, Martha.
Martha Beatriz: Did you hear me?
Voice: Yes. Oh! You recorded this?
Martha Beatriz: Of course, arent you threatening my life? I have to record it so people can hear.
Voice: ¡Ah! Ok Martha. Ok..
Martha Beatriz: Bueno, its been a pleasure.
Voice: One of these days youre going to go through hell, Martha.
Martha Beatriz: Bueno, whenever you want.
Today, April 18th I learned that the Portuguese jounalists had been detained twice, even with their proper accreditations.
Since my telephone is bugged by the political police, and proof of this is that the Cuban Government has aired my private telephone conversations on the Mesa Redonda tv show, there is no doubt that the person that threatened me is well informed and “ready for effect.”
The tape recording is available to anyone who wishes to hear it.
Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello
Havana, Cuba, 18 April, 2007
What i want to know is, Where the hell are all the balsy Cuban men? Why are there so few Cuban men out there with the courage like Martha Beatriz Roque’s?
blockquote>Nota informativa
Quiero dar a conocer esta información, a título personal:
El día 17 de abril del 2007, recibí una llamada amenazándome de muerte, para que no hable más por Radio Martí y para que no recibiera unos periodistas portugueses en mi casa.
A las 3 de la tarde, había grabado un programa con María Márquez de Radio Martí, sobre el tercer documento de la serie que escribo, titulada “Dos Caras de Una Moneda”.
Los periodistas de RTP (Radio y Televisión Portuguesa) nombrados Sandra Filgueiras y Bruno de Jesús, me llamaron a las 4 menos diez, minutos antes de la cita, para comunicarme que el Centro de Prensa Internacional les había dicho que en 20 minutos debían encontrarse con un Vice Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, lo que impidió la entrevista.
Tomé una llamada en espera que tenía en el teléfono y un hombre comenzó a amenazarme, cuando reaccioné, encendí la grabadora y pude recoger esta conversación:
Voz: Martha estás poniendo tu vida en peligro, vas a volver a caer presa.
Martha Beatriz: Si, no, no, ningún problema si tengo que volver a caer presa, caigo presa. Tú sabes que esto es aquí como quiera el gobierno cubano, así que a mí me da lo mismo.
Voz: Te da lo mismo no, Martha
Martha Beatriz: Exactamente lo mismo. ¿Qué más?
Voz: ¿Tú quieres que te meta en una celda tapiada, Martha?
Martha Beatriz: ¿Una celda tapiada? También. Sin problemas.
Voz: Anja Martha, vas a caer en esa. ¿No?
Martha Beatriz: ¿Tú tienes esa facultad?
Voz: Como que no.
Martha Beatriz: Ah bueno!!!!
Voz: Te está hablando uno de la Seguridad del Estado.
Martha Beatriz: Ah! Me está hablando uno de la Seguridad del Estado, entonces no tienes problemas.
Voz: Oíste Martha, cuidado, cuídate.
Martha Beatriz: Después vas a oír tu voz por Radio Martí.
Voz: Anja, Martha.
Martha Beatriz: ¿oíste?
Voz: Si, ¡ah! ¿lo grabaste?
Martha Beatriz: Claro, no me estás amenazando hasta de muerte, tengo que grabarlo para que la gente te pueda oír.
Voz: ¡Ah! está bien Martha. Bueno.
Martha Beatriz: Bueno un placer.
Voz: Un día de estos tú la vas a pasar muy mal Martha
Martha Beatriz: Bueno cuando tú quieras.
Hoy, 18 de abril de 2007, supe que los periodistas portugueses fueron detenidos dos veces, a pesar que están acreditados como tal, con su correspondiente permiso para estar en el país.
Como mi teléfono está pinchado por la policía política, y prueba de ello es que el régimen ha puesto partes de conversaciones mías –privadas- por televisión, en las Mesas Redondas, el nivel de conocimiento de la persona que me habló no deja lugar a dudas de que está bien informada y enviada al efecto.
La cinta con la grabación está a disposición de toda aquella persona que quiera oírla.
Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello
Ciudad de La Habana, 18 de abril del 2007.
Guys:
Una celda tapiada is not a cold prison cell. It’s a cell that is underground. There is no light whatsoever. It’s more like an underground box since there is hardly any room to move around in. Yesterday morning on Radio Mambi’s “En Caliente” program, Angel de Fana (former political prisoner “Plantado”)went on the air to denounce what happened to Marta Beatriz. They played the recording that Marta made. Later that evening it was on the TV Spanish stations.
Que clase de timbales tiene Marta! Adelante mi hermana! Que todos los cubanos bien nacidos estamos contigo!
Oh, just thought you might want to know that La Unidad Cubana (an umbrela organization of all the exile groups)had their telephone lines interrupted today. I called several times today from early A.M. to right now. Instead of reaching La Unidad, I get a recording of a nice black lady that asks the caller to try back later and have a blessed day.I called the operator who checked the line, “The line is crossed”, he said, in a heavy Spanish accent.
All this activity with unity of all the dissidents in Cuba and the exile organizations, and now top that off with Posada’s release is getting fifo & co. a little nervous.
A true hero, and a true inspiration. Go Martha!
People in state security are getting scared. The end of their reign is fast approaching and you all know what happens when you corner a wild animal.
Our thoughts are of course with Martha. Thanks for bringing this to everyone’s attention.
-Anatasio
Upon further thought – she needs to get that tape out of the country and on the airwaves. People still enamored with the regime need to hear what it really sounds like.
The thug who is anonymously threatening Martha is probably the same coward who punched her in the face and dragged her on the street in front of her home a few months ago.
Someday, Nuremberg-style tribunals should be established to judge all of these human rights violators. That is, before the masses take revenge on their oppressors, like they did in Cuba in 1933 and 1959.
Marta Roque has violated our Revolutionary Laws that were made by the people, for the people, and of the people. In America, if you violate the law, you go to jail. Our Revolution has been very generous with this woman, and has not put her in jail, where she really belongs, along with other ungrateful counter-revolutionaries like Biscet.
Marifea, In the spirit of Ceaucescu and Mussolini, I have this to say to the “revolutionaries:”
“I’d like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I’d look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this. Can you and your associates arrange it for me, (Marifea)?”
Extra points to those who know the source of my semi-quote.
Call the exterminator Val, estan saliendo las ratas, ya salio la marifea.
RS: I have asked my attorney John The Lionhearted, of the CCLU (Cuba Civil Liberties Union), to look up your quote and determine if you are making a veiled threat against me. I will then sue you, Val Prieto, and Henry Gomez, and shut down this counter-revolutionary blog. Jewbana, I will also sue you for calling me a rat and misrepresenting Jews.
Daamn, biotch—they really *do* keep you isolated over in “Paradise” if you can’t recognize a quote from a popular TV show from 10 years ago.
And I wonder who is going to pay Johnny Boy if fifo died without leaving the bank account numbers to raulita.
RS: That is a silly quote from Babylon 5. You forget that I have a Th.D., a Doctorate of Thinkology, like the one awarded to the Strawman in the Wizard of Oz. You need to read my book on the Cuban Revolution to understand our revolutionary government.
Getting back to the subject, over the history of nations, women have always been indispensable and their roles pivotal in the triumph or demise of struggles for independence.
Marifea, by the people? Is it by the people that there are no elections? Is it by the people that there is no due process? Is it by the people that you can’t choose how and where to live your life? Is it by the people that you may be next of the list if you say the wrong thing? You’ve got to be kiddiing.
I guess the Cuban men might have to sit to take a piss since Castro came to power. Do you think they like quiche as well?
Marifea, the United States (where it seems you live, even though you may be a spy for Castro) is a democratic country and will never allow lacayos like you to get blogs shut down because of their political views.
I am sorry for you, but you already lost.
maria-fea .Anybody can sue anybody in this country for anything but remember this.Big brother is watching .If you cross the line in the sand and r a spy against this government that I have honorably served.I will be the first one demanding your head on a platter.And that mr. or mrs. fea is called freedom of speach and my right as a law abiding citizen for people like you that r trying to destoy our way of life .Bring it on because I know for sure that any one of us is ready to rock and roll with the likes of you!!(I wonder how clean you really r?).