Monday, May 27, 2013

Cuban-American held by State Security after visiting dissident's home in Cuba

A twitter timeline of the arrest of Cecilia Rojas
Cecilia Rojas, detained by State Security in Cuba on Sunday
Update May 27, 2013: Cecilia Rojas was released earlier today and her documents returned to her reports Martinoticias and other sources.

Miami resident Cecilia Rojas, a U.S. citizen, arrested by state security leaving the home of Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez" after expressing solidarity with Cuban hunger striker Luis E. Santos. She was taken to the police station of Placetas and her drivers license taken.

The news was tweeted by "Antúnez" over his account: @AntunezCuba at 5:00pm on Sunday, May 26: "Miami resident Cecilia Rojas arrested leaving my home after expressing solidarity with hunger striker Luis E Santos."

Martha Beatriz Roque broke the story over twitter at 4:29pm announcing "Detained in Placetas Cecilia Rojas, American citizen was visiting Antunez."

Felix Reyes at 4:55pm reported: "The American citizen Cecilia Rojas was arrested in Placetas for expressing her solidarity with hunger striker Luis E. Santos" and tweeted that for further information to contact "Antunez" at the telephone +52731656

Yoani Sanchez with over five hundred thousand followers tweeted about the arrest at 4:58pm saying that she had learned about it via twitter.

At 5:10pm Cuban dissident Sara Marta Fonseca reported on twitter, "State Security troops transfer Cecilia Rojas to police station of Placetas and take her Florida's Drivers License."

Luis E. Santos will initiate a hunger strike at 10:58am today protesting the unjust loss of his home.  Antúnez over his twitter account this morning announced Luis's demand via the FNRC~OZT: "Solve housing case of Luis E Santos and wife within 24 hours or you'll face a hunger strike."

 At 7:23pm tweeted a question and repeat it again now: "Cecilia Rojas has apparently been detained in Cuba. Will international press there report on it before the official media?" Or will it be a repeat of the reporting on the cholera outbreak that reached Havana and was not widely reported on until the official media broke it in January of 2013? So far, ten hours after the arrest the story has yet to be picked up by the international press.

Another question that arises: Will Cecilia obtain consular support from American diplomats immediately or will she too be forced to wait 25 days, as Alan Gross did, for a visit?

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