BBC
3/1/2010
Prison life then and now
Right after our arrest, we were in solitary confinement … it was very rough treatment back then. It was part of the whole setup in order to try to break us down. That lasted for 17 months, but that's part of the past and I suppose that's how they view their jobs in regard to softening us up for the trial. Then we went to the regular facilities and so far I can't complain about that.
I do a lot of exercising. I have a job in the recreation yard. When I finish I exercise. I run. Then I go back to my cell and do a lot of reading. I took a course in Economics from Havana University . I feel I am making the best of my time here.
I treat everyone with fairness and I receive the same treatment. Some prisoners are more politically aware than others - they approach me and ask me questions and try to understand my point.
Obama and US-Cuba relations
There was a time when I had some hopes, because of the way he spoke and how he handled himself. But the way I see it from here, he has been a little bit hypersensitive to the right wing of this country. And right now I don't see any improvement.
They are asking the Cuban government to give concessions that we cannot give… we don't impose any conditions on your government to improve relations. What we want is to have a normal relationship by respecting everybody's system. We don't try to topple their government, we don't apply pressure for regime change in the US . We have our own form of government and they should respect that.
My generation grew up witnessing years of aggression coming from the US - we're talking about terrorism, bombings, shootings - so my generation understands very well that we have the right to defend Cuba from all those crimes. So it is not only the Cuban government but the whole society that understands our cause.
And nobody in Cuba would agree to any re-establishing of normal relations with a country that has five of their sons in jail for defending the country.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8537932.stm
