Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HAVANA15860
2006-08-09 20:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:  

CUBAN ACTIVISTS MOURN DEATH OF GUSTAVO ARCOS

Tags:  PHUM KDEM SOCI CU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6182
RR RUEHAG
DE RUEHUB #5860 2212019
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 092019Z AUG 06
FM USINT HAVANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3109
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 015860 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN ACTIVISTS MOURN DEATH OF GUSTAVO ARCOS

Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 015860

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU
SUBJECT: CUBAN ACTIVISTS MOURN DEATH OF GUSTAVO ARCOS

Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) Cuban pro-democracy activists on August 9 mourned as
Gustavo Arcos, grandfather of the island's human rights
movement, was cremated in Havana. Arcos died the previous
day at a hospital after battling a number of ailments,
including Alzheimers. According to his widow, his dying wish
was the unification of Cuba's internal opposition, and the
opposition's unification with the Cuban exile community.
Activist Martha Beatriz Roque told us August 9 she planned a
mass for Arcos, a devout Catholic, on or about August 16.
The mass is likely to bring together a Who's Who of the Cuban
human rights crowd, as well as members of the diplomatic
community.


2. (SBU) Contacts report to us that in the southern city of
Manzanillo, not far from Arcos' birthplace, black ribbons
appeared and nine days of mourning began. Arcos fought
alongside Fidel and Raul Castro from the early days of the
Cuban revolution and ended up serving as a diplomat to
Belgium before resigning in 1964, disillusioned with Fidel's
Communist path. After breaking with the regime, he was
sentenced to 10 years for acts against the state security.
Once freed, he continued to push for respect for human
rights, at a time when there were no other activists.
USINT's last contact was on July 20, when Arcos' wife called
us from the hospital and complained that the hospital staff
was "treating us terribly, like I have an old car with no
tires." Arcos was 79.
PARMLY