Existence and activities of a group called Alianza Liberal Democratica [CUB30479.E]

References to a group called Alianza Liberal Democratica are in reports dated 1996 and 1997.

The most recent reference is contained in a 3 March 1997 press release of the Miami-based Concilio Cubano Support Group (Grupo de Apoyo a Concilio Cubano, GACC), which names Ernesto Velzquez Ravelo as vice-president of the group. The report states that Mr. Velzquez communicated and denounced by telephone a police home search and subsequent detention of Aguileo Cancio Chong, president of the Nationalist Action Party (Partido de Accion Nacionalista, PAN).

A 7 November 1996 report by the Independent Press Agency of Cuba (Agencia de Prensa Independiente de Cuba, APIC) names Pedro Brito Hernandez as the president of the Alianza Liberal Democratica. The report also names him as a member of the Ethics Commission (Comisión de Etica) of Concilio Cubano, and states that he had been the subject of continuous harassment (continuado hostigamiento) by the Cuban political police (policía política). According to APIC, although he had been treated respectfully (tratado con respeto), Mr. Brito had been frequently cited to report before State Security (Seguridad del Estado) authorities to face questioning, without having charges or judicial processes formally brought against him.

A 15 August 1996 list of organizations signing as part of the Concilio Cubano Forum, published by the Miami-based organization CubaNet, names Pedro J. Brito Hernandez as the representative of the Alianza Liberal Democratica.

For additional information on Concilio Cubano and on the nature, composition and activities of Cuban dissident groups, please refer to previous Responses.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference


Agencia de Prensa Independiente de Cuba (APIC), La Habana. 7 November 1997.

Manuel David Orrio. "Hostigado Pedro Brito Hernandez por la policia politica." [Internet] http://www.hermanos.org/docs/apic11114.html [Accessed 17 Nov. 1998]

CubaNet, Miami. 15 August 1996. "Lista actualizada de organizaciones firmantes del

Foro Concilio Cubano." [Internet] http://www.cubanet.org/Cnews/y96/sep96/ doc2.html [Accessed 17 Nov. 1998]

Grupo de Apoyo a Concilio Cubano (GACC), Inc., Miami. 3 March 1997. "Arrestan en

La Habana al presidente del Partido de Accion Nacionalista." [Internet] http://www.cubanet.org/Cnews/y97/mar97/4pan.html [Accessed 17 Nov. 1998]

Additional Sources Consulted


Amnesty International Report. 1994-98.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. 1994-98.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. 1994-96.

Human Rights in Cuba. 1995 USINS Information Package.

Human Rights in Developing Countries. 1994-97.

Human Rights Watch World Report. 1994-98.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. 1994-97.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1994-98.

Latin American Regional Reports: Central America & the Caribbean [London]. 1994-98.

News from Human Rights Watch [New York]. Monthly.

Newspapers and periodicals pertaining to the appropriate region.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, Internet, Refworld (UNHCR) database, NEXIS and WNC.

Note on oral sources:

Oral sources are usually contacted when documentary sources have been exhausted. However, oral sources must agree to be quoted in a publicly available Response to Information Request. If they refuse, the Response will read "no information currently available." Contacting oral sources is also subject to time constraints; for example, there are periods of the year when academics are unavailable.

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country-specific books available in the Resource Centre are not included.