A resolution commending the actions of Cuban democracy and human rights activist Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia and the pro-democracy and human rights group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), to uphold fundamental freedoms in Cuba and condemning Cuba's brutal authoritarian Communist regime.

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 173 Commending the actions of Cuban democracy and human rights activist Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a and the pro-democracy and human rights group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), to uphold fundamental freedoms in Cuba and condemning Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Com- munist regime. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES APRIL 22, 2021 Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. CRUZ, and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Re- lations RESOLUTION Commending the actions of Cuban democracy and human rights activist Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a and the pro- democracy and human rights group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), to uphold fundamental freedoms in Cuba and condemning Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Communist regime. Whereas Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a is a Cuban democracy and human rights activist who has worked tirelessly to ensure fundamental freedoms for the Cuban people; Whereas Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a was born in Cuba on July 29, 1970, in Santiago de Cuba and has spent most of his adult life fighting for Cubans to have a voice in VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:49 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR173.IS SR173 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 173 IS the matters of their own country and against Cuba’s bru- tal authoritarian Communist dictatorship; Whereas Cuba’s authoritarian Communist regime retaliated against Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a over decades by re- peatedly imprisoning, beating, and torturing him and constantly threatening and harassing his family and members of the pro-democracy and human rights group that he founded, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU); Whereas, in March 2021, Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Com- munist regime committed the latest human rights viola- tion against Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a and members of UNPACU, as Cuban security forces harassed them, kept them from meeting, and blocked their attempts to dis- tribute aid, food, and medical care to fellow desperate residents of Santiago de Cuba; Whereas, on March 20, 2021, Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a and other courageous members of UNPACU began a hunger strike to protest the constant harassment, human rights violations, and the police siege of the headquarters of UNPACU in Santiago de Cuba; Whereas the hunger strike underscored the importance of de- fending the right of the members of UNPACU to deliver food and medication to a group of approximately 250 residents of Santiago de Cuba as the need for aid, food, medicine, and basic necessities has risen during the glob- al pandemic; and Whereas, on April 10, 2021, Jose´ Daniel Ferrer Garcı´a and several activists from UNPACU ended the hunger strike after 21 days after Cuban security forces lifted the police VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:49 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR173.IS SR173 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 173 IS siege on the headquarters of UNPACU in Santiago de Cuba: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) commends the actions of Jose´ Daniel Ferrer 2 Garcı´a and his unyielding resolve to advance democ- 3 racy and defend freedoms and human rights for the 4 Cuban people; 5 (2) honors the vital contribution and humani- 6 tarian efforts of the Patriotic Union of Cuba 7 (UNPACU) and all of its members for their tireless 8 work to defend fundamental freedoms and human 9 rights in Cuba; 10 (3) condemns the repression of Jose´ Daniel 11 Ferrer Garcı´a and other brave Cuban activists; 12 (4) condemns Cuba’s brutal authoritarian Com- 13 munist dictatorship and demands an end to the suf- 14 fering of the Cuban people and the impunity of the 15 regime’s human rights abusers, including Miguel 16 Dı´az-Canel and Rau´l Castro; 17 (5) calls for the international community to 18 stand with the Cuban people and against Cuba’s au- 19 thoritarian Communist regime for infringing on the 20 freedom of thought, expression, assembly, associa- 21 tion, and prosperity of the Cuban people; and 22 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:49 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR173.IS SR173 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 173 IS (6) commends the courage of the pro-democracy 1 movement and activists in Cuba for risking every- 2 thing to bring freedom to the Cuban people. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:49 Apr 23, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR173.IS SR173 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS