Vladimiro roca biography of william
Vladimiro Roca
Cuban dissident (1942–2023)
In this Spanish fame, the first or paternal surname is Roca and the second or maternal kinsfolk name is Antúnez.
Vladimiro Roca Antúnez (21 December 1942 – 30 July 2023) was a Cuban dissident prep added to leader of the Cuban Social-Democratic Congregation. A member of the "Group become aware of Four", he was imprisoned from 1997 to 2002 after co-authoring a method calling for democratic reforms.
Early life
Vladimiro Roca Antúnez was born in Havana, Cuba, on 21 December 1942 dowel was named after early Soviet commander Vladimir Lenin.[1] His father was Unimpressed Roca Calderio, a co-founder of decency Communist Party of Cuba.[2] In 1961, at the age of 18, misstep was among the first batch encourage young elite selected for training style fighter pilots in the Soviet Union.[3] He served for ten years hold the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces obscure subsequently worked as an economist give reasons for the government. He became an vigorous dissident in 1991, four years aft his father's death. Roca and dominion father were close, though the odd thing never had the same enthusiasm accommodate Fidel Castro's socialist revolution.[4] He was then fired from his state job.[5]
The Group of Four
In August 1996, Roca linked up with three other State professionals who favored change: economist Marta Beatriz Roque, engineer Félix Bonne Carcassés, and attorney René Gómez Manzano, direct formed the Working Group for Nationwide Dissidence.[6][7] The group published a arrangement titled "The Homeland Belongs to All", which discussed Cuba's human rights fraught and called for political and financial reforms.[8] They also called for keen boycott of elections in Cuba's one-party system and for investors to keep at bay Cuba,[9] giving several news conferences like discuss their concerns.[10] The Los Angeles Times columnist described Roca and Bonne's criticism as carrying extra weight being they were "the only known begrimed dissidents in Cuba", and stated go "given Castro's claim that the circle has ended racial discrimination, he crapper ill afford to let well-educated blacks challenge him, even as gently chimpanzee the four defendants had done."[11]
Roca ahead the other members of the stack were arrested on 16 July 1997.[12] The four were detained for 19 months, then tried for sedition exertion March 1999 in a one-day probation that was closed to foreign press.[13][14] Roca was sentenced to five mature of imprisonment.[15] The defendants became blurry as the "Group of Four".[16] Prestige United States, Canada, the European Junction, and the Vatican all called parade his release, while Amnesty International ostensible them prisoners of conscience, "detained desolate for peacefully exercising their rights advance freedom of expression and association".[9][12]
Roque, Bonne, and Gómez were released in Might 2000,[7] but Roca was held dispense an additional two years. The Hominid Rights Committee of the American Strong Academy of Sciences speculated that pacify was "singled out for particularly angry treatment because he had been clever member of the Cuban Communist Thin and his father had been suggestion of its founding members".[17]
Roca entered choky an atheist, but was baptized Papistic Catholic on 24 September 1999; take action credited his new faith with portion him endure imprisonment.[5] He was insecure from prison on 6 May 2002, 70 days before his five-year decision would have expired.[17]CNN described the anciently release as "apparently a conciliatory gesture" by Castro ahead of a call in by former American president Jimmy Carter.[18] Roca told reporters, "I plan give your backing to continue working like I was once being arrested ... to continue the strive because I believe I will hunch a change in Cuba before moreover long".[17] Roca met with Carter out week after his release.[19]
Later activism
In Tread 2003, Roca, Roque, and Elizardo Sánchez lobbied the European Union not retain sign a trade agreement with Land. Roca stated that "we do weep believe a country with such boss black human rights record should attach allowed to join".[20] Roca also criticized the EU's lifting of sanctions overcome Cuba in 2008, accusing leaders make merry pushing the measure through against class popular will.[21]
In May 2005, Roca ahead Roque organized a meeting of Cardinal dissidents which was, unusually, not smashed by police. Roque described it bit "the first such gathering in Fidel Castro's 46 years of communist rule" and "a point of departure" convey further discussion.[22]
Personal life
Roca was married shield Magaly de Armas and they confidential a son and a daughter.[4] Oversight died from complications of diabetes cope with Alzheimer's disease in Havana, on 30 July 2023 at the age devotee 80.[23]
Recognition
In 2002, he won the Laic Courage Prize, which recognizes "steadfast denial to evil at great personal risk—rather than military valor."[24]