"I'm sorry to bring bad news, but Laura Pollan died tonight." That is what a friend me told upon arriving last night at what was supposed to be a joyous celebration of her daughter's 40th birthday. The news hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks, although it should not have. Just a day earlier, I was discussing Pollan's health with a friend and human rights activist who was convinced the Castro dictatorship was responsible for her mysterious illness. I have no doubt that was the case, and it falls within the realm of real possibility when you consider the vileness and sinister demeanor of the Castro regime. Laura Pollan is not the first opposition leader they murder - there have been thousands before her - and unfortunately, while they remain in power, she will most likely not be the last.
In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others, Laura Pollan was murdered by the Castro regime; plain and simple. It just does not make any sense that a woman who just two weeks ago was on the streets receiving brutal blows from the thugs of the Castro political police would suddenly come down with some mysterious illness that ends up killing her within a week. The methods the Cuban regime used to permanently eliminate one of their most vocal and dangerous opponents may forever be a mystery, but the fact that they are capable, willing, and able to indiscriminately murder their opponents is not. Rest assured that we will all continue to seek the truth, and we will do everything we can to expose those behind the murder of Laura Pollan. Justice demands we do so.
The Castro dictatorship may have silenced Laura Pollan forever, but they cannot silence her message and the message of thousands like her on the island. That message is freedom, and it is the message the regime fears the most. It will continue to ring throughout the island long after Laura's death, and no matter how many more dissidents the dictatorship silences, they will never be able that silence the message and that simple word: Freedom, Freedom, Freedom.
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