Face to Face With Huber Matos

Theodore Jacqueney

INTRODUCTION BY VICTORIA JACQUENEY

Huber Matos, Cuba’s best-known polit- Costa ,Ria in a Costa Rian Govcrn- filled with the testimony of Cubans ical prisoner, was released on October ment plane, to be welcomed by his fam- who, like Huber Matos. had lost their 21. 1979, after completing “every min- ily and an immense crowd of prcss. wcll- initial enthusiasm for Castro’s revolu- ute” of a twenty-year prison sentence. wishers, and Costa Rican ollicials, in- tion as it became increasingly repressive Matos had helped make Fidel Castro’s cluding his old friend “Don Pepe” Fig- and had become victims of that reprcs- revolution, not only as a military com- ucres. sion themselves. mander in the rebel army, but by per- My husband, Ted Jacqueney, was On the day the Washington Post ran suading the then president of Costa there, at the invitation of the Matos Td’s first article about his trip, an Op- Ria, JosC Figuercs, to send arms to family. We had met one of the Matos Ed piece which concentrated on Huber Castro. When Matos asked to resign sons through a neighbor in Bli;r.ibeth, Matos, klubcr Matos Jr. .was seriously from Castro’s government because he New Jersey, just before Ted went to wounded near his home in Costa Rica disapproved of its increasingly Marxist Cuba in October, 1976. with a group of by gunmen who sprayed his car with direction, lie was charged with “slan- Ripon Society members who planned to machine-gun fire, escaping to Panama. dering the Revolution,” an accusation investigate Cuban-American business By the time Ted’s longer articles (“The later changed to “trcason.” relations. Ted planned a dirercnt sort Yellow Uniforms of Cuba,” Worldview, of investigation: He clandestinely inter- January/Fcbruary. 1977; “Castro’s Po- viewed former political prisoricrs end litical Prisoners.” Free Trade Uuiori the families of many still in jail. News, May, 1977) appwed, wc had Through these contacts he passed a been warmed to be “careful” by Cuban mcssage into Ilubcr Mates's cell (Ma- friends and by the FBI, which sent two tos himself was in a prison hospital at nice young men to teach us how to the time) and got back, not only an- check our car for explosive devices. swers, but a smuggled gift: a handmade During the next two years Ted con- cigarette holder for a Cuban human tinued to publicize the situation of polit- rights activist in the United States. ical prisoners in Cuba, and of Huber One day thc Ripon group visited a Matos in particular, through his writing polling place for an clcction then in pro- and through The Democracy Intcrna- gress. The Cuban minister of justice tional; Mrs. Maria Luisa Mntos and arrived, as scheduled. to meet the party thcrc. giving Ted an opportunity to read aloud (to the minister and about two dozen Cuban voters) a polite inquiry about political prisoners. Huber Ma- tos’s name topped thc list. There was no formal rcply. This gesturc madc, Ted’s subscqucnt interviews were conductcd evcn more clandestinely, and he spent thc rest of his visit wondering if he would be joining the half-dozen Amcri- cans already in Cuban jails for political orenses against the Castro government. Also making Ted uneasy was the suc- cess of Cuban right-wing exiles opposed Intense pressure from forcign gov- to U.S.-Cuban trade in blowing up an ernments and from intcrnation;rl human Air Cubana plane that was to have taken rights organizations did nothing to the Ripon group from Kingston to Ha- shorten his sentence and little to ease vana-though fortunately for the Ripon the dreadful conditions of his incarcera- group. and unfortunately for the eighty tion. but may have made it politically persons who pcrishcd, the bomb ex- diliicult for the Castro government to ploded in the aircraft ahead of schedule, retain or resentence him, :I common while the plane was between Bridgc- occurrence for Cuban political prisoners town and Kingston. Ted left Cuba with- who rcfuse to rcnounce their beliefs. out interference, however, carrying a Former President Figucres was among souvenir requested by other Cuban ac- those who worked for Matos’s release. tivist friends: a Havana telephone dircc- On October 22. Huber Matos arrived in tory. Hc also brought back notebooks

4 HUBERMATOS / 5

J-luber Junior became active members. interpreted by one of the Matos daugh- “YOUare Buddhists, then?” Huber When Huber Junior telephoned on the ters, from his notes and tapes. Matos asked me. “Yes and no,” I told morning of October 20 to ask Ted 10 be him. “but the Buddhist political leaders with the family for his father’s long- In late November. Huber Matos Ted knew in Vietnam opposed the awaited but as yet unconfirmed release, came with his wife, two of his grown former government, which was corrupt Ted took an afternoon plane to San children, and a bodyguard to pay a con- and repressive, and also opposed the JosC. He telephoned me on October 22 dolence call on me. Well-groomed. well- Communists....” Huber Junior trans- to say that Huber Matos had just fleshed, and slightly tanned, he sug- lated my embarrassingly simple descrip arrived, exhausted and apparently in gested a diplomat or politician with a tion of the Vietnamese Third Forcc, and terrible pain from beatings during the hint of the military somewhere in his his father asked what had happened IO days just before his release, but “every background, rather than a school teaeh- our friends when the government of inch the commandante.” The next day er turned revolutionary who had spent Vietnam changed. “They Icft. or went this astonishing man held a press con- the entire two decades of his middle age to prison, or were put under house ference. describing events of the past as a political prisoner. He walked slowly arrest. Some of them are now living in few days and the past twenty years with around our apartment, remarking in the United States and France. and some remarkable clarity, and reaffirming his Spanish on the view of New York, the are now dead.” Huber Matos nodded, commitment to a “truly free Cuba.” photo of Ted with “Big” Minh. the raising and lowering first his right hand, Ted, who had been living in the Matos shelf of books on Cuba. He asked me then his left: “Like us, first Batista, family’s house, interviewed Huber Ma- about the Buddhist altar with Ted’s pic- then Castro.” tos on October 24-a long-anticipated ture flanked by candles, fruit, and in- In 1976, he told me, hc had come opportunity to confirm what he had cense. I explained that the Vietnamese back from the hospital to his cell in h hmrd about the man himself and about Buddhists who had performed our mar- Cabaiin Prison to the news that a “peri- the conditions in Cuban prisons. riage ceremony in Vietnam and were odista Norte-Americano” had been Ted Jacqueney came back to the now in America had asked if they might looking for him and sending messages United Statcs on Octobcr 26 and died, perform the Fast rites for Ted and take from his family. No one was quite sure totally unexpectedly, on October 31. I his ashes to the Buddhist temple in of the man’s name, Matos said, but now reconstructed the interview, which was Washington. he knew it was “our friend Ted.”

THEODORE JACQUENEY: Let me start by asking you about be thrown on the floor and kicked-I felt thatjmaybc the something you mentioned in your press conference the worst was yet to come, when I was to be sctfrce. I am day after .you left Cuba: being beaten up by guards a few sure this was an attempt to intimidatc me wilh physical hours before your release. You said they hit and kicked abuse. My reaction was total indignation. you, threw you around, and screamed insults at you, but why do you think this happened? What were they say- You said, “aside from beatings,” so I assume you were ing? beaten in prison at other times as well .... IIUBER MATO!!: Yes, they did all of those things. It was Yes, several timcs. Let mc give you one example. In an attempt to intimidate me. They yelled: “We are thc May, 1973, I was savagcly beaten. Thcy broke scveral of machos! We have thc powcr! Wehave thc force and we my ribs and they permanently injurcd my left arm, will do this whenever we feel like it! Wc are the which later became partially paralyzcd, for the rcst of machos!” I yelled back at thcm, and later they put tapes my life. Thcy had excuses for all their barbaric acts; in over my mouth.” this case the ~XCUSCwas that thcy were conducting a search. About ten men surrounded me and suddenly told Obviously, if this was an attempt to keep you from mc to take olT my clothes. When they told mc to speaking out after you left prison and Cuba, it undrcss, I was preparcd for what was going to happen. 1 failed ....Tell me, what was your worst experience in pris- said, “Don’t use excuses, if you are going to beat me, get on? on with it.” Some of thcm threatened me with iron pipes Distinguishing between most difficult moments and used in construction, but the first blows were struck maltreatment, I would say the two most difficult with fists, feet, and knees, and then 1 was on the ground. moments, aside from beatings and hunger strikcs, were The guards commonly carry those iron rods around, but the vcry beginning and thc vcry end, when 1 was first I don’t remcmbcr bcing beaten with them at other imprisoned and when the sentence was finally over. times. This was the most severe beating, and it was also In the beginning, in jail, I thought constantly of thc the last before I was rclcascd. unjust and low accusations of treason. I was convinced that I had always bccn a vcry clean and honest and loyal And what about hunger strikes? person, and the campaign to label me as an infamous 1 led six hunger strikes, two short, two very long, two traitor, not only in Cuba but overseas, was made even in between. The purpose was to demand respect, because more difficult because I was totally incommunicado, my clothes were taken away, or protesting the fact that I .unable to defend myself. was incommunicado, and the general maltreatment of I was also completely unprepared for the violence that the jailers, and also to demand medical care. The short- I was subjected to during the last few days. I was expect- est hunger strike lasted three days; the longest 165 days. ing to bc frccd, thinking that I had pulled through. In that case, I went thirty days without eating anything Then-to be surprised by this violent physical attack, to at all, only drinking water, and for 135 days I was force- 8 / WORLDVIEW / APRIL 1980 fed, intravenously and through the nose. The water they fish soup which was totally unfit to cat. Sometimes, in used was tainted and it gave me diarrhea. the best times, toward the end, there were eggs.

So, hunger strikes are really a form of protest among Why did Fidel Castro subject you to this, when you had Cuban political prisoners. fought together for the revolutionary cause? Yes, for political prisioners subjected to intolerable Fidel’s wish had been to kill me at the time of the mistreatment, that was the best form of protesting such trial, but he didn’t dare do it at that time, for political things as clothes being taken away, or not being given reasons. So he hoped that the treatment would slowly any medical assistance. I didn’t always win. Not all hun- kill me-that I would die of that truly unjust treatment ger strikes got positive results. Sometimes we lost those and the tremendous harm it does to a prisoner’s psyche. battles, but sometimes there was success, as with the one I was not the only one subjected to this beastly treat- for medical attention. The longest, 165 days, protesting ment: othcr prisoners were, and they still are. the fact that I was incommunicado and naked, that one I won. You never lose completely in a ,hunger strike, Why did you refuse the rehabilitation plan, which offers because you are demonstrating that you cannot be better treatment? forced to tolerate these abuses. The rehabilitation plan has its advantages, but it is still a compromise with the jailers. To the extent that a I have heard that you were kept naked, but why was this plantado [a political prisoner who, like Matos, rcfuscs done? to cooperate or to accept rehabilitation-TJI accepts I was kept for thirteen months wearing only under- the plan, he must renounce the political beliefs that are shorts. The jail authorities asked to take away the prison important to him. Politically, he dies. uniforms, yellow uniforms [given to political prisoners for many ycars in an effort to identify them with Batista, What about Castro’s promise tu release all political pris- for this was the color worn by Batista’s guards-TJ], oners soon? saying there was a new government regulation.’ They The promises of Fidel Castro are usually attached to brought us instcad the blue uniforms of common crimi- dirty tricks. He had announced plans for release of nals. The intent of changing the uniforms was to keep us 3,600, but in this 3,600 are some who should have bccn in a state of repression, and we refused to wear them. released a long time ago. and others, whom no one knows. That is, we don’t know their names or just why Does that change of uniforms signify a change in the they are in prison; they aren’t known to be political pnttern or nature of political imprisonment? prisoners. The political prisoners keep track of one Yes, in the last few ycars thcy have bccn modifying another--we know who we arc. ‘The list of political pris- the legal instruments, gradually. so that offenses that oners Fidel Castro uses is full of fraudulent prisoners. uscd to be called “political” are now considered “com- According to Castro. he had released thousands, but mon”-for example, sabotage or damage to the econo- the majority of the plantados are still in jail. It is even my. People who were caught trying to escape from the possible that cveryone on his list was supposedly freed, island by boat wcrc at one time considered political pris- and yet most of the pluntodos are still in prison. oners, but now, after the integration of the legal system, thcy arc considcrcd common criminals. However,’ onc I know it is impossible to know exactly how many politi- crime still considered a political offense is trying to get cal prisoners there are in Cuba now, but could you give into a foreign embassy. The penalty for having a plan to an estimate? do that is ten years. I think that the acknowledged political prisoners are more than 1,000, including at least 500 pluntudos- Let us go back to your prison experience..Could you these are people we know exist. I don’t wish to have describe your cell in La Cabaiia. disagrccmcnts with people still in jail nor with those I was in two vcry bad cclls in La Cabaiia. Onc room, rcccntly released, but I know of two peoplc Fidcl called Gallery 23, was a gallery for punishment. It was released as political prisoners who were definitely not partially underground. Windows were covered, first political prisoners at all. That is how he is able to keep with wood and later with cement blocks. The door, most of the true political prisoners in jail. Castro prom- instead of being made of bars, was solid stccl. The cell ised to rclcasc the people who have bccn in prison the was near a kerosene stove, so smoke and soot were con- longest, but the people who have bccn released have tinually settling into the cell. It was kept in total dark- mostly been in for only a few ycars, while many in jail ness, and there were insects of every kind, colonies of for fifteen years or more arc still there. them, crawling on the walls, infesting the mattresses. I One political prisoner who is still in jail is Silvino wis three years in that cell, two direrent times. It was Rodrigues Barrientos. who directs a Catholic movement very, very damp and extremely hot. in prison. He is very firm in his convictions, and he is in a very difficult position because the government consid- And the food, when you were not on a hunger strike? ers him to be the closest person to me. I think of him as Food became a matter of the highest importance. In my brother, and 1 fear for his life. The G-2 [secret general, we always got the worst type of food, sometimes police] openly says that of all the people thcy took into edible, sometimes completely inedible: cooked corn- Boniato prison, that man is the one they would most like meal, macaroni with salt but without sauce: pca soup, to crush. Rodrigucs is about forty ycars old now, and he HUBERMATOS / 7 completed a twelve-year sentence in 1976, only to be We fought the Revolution with the commitment of retried and sentenced to nine more years. Both times the complete freedom for our country, true independence, charge against him was counterrevolutionary activity, and national sovereignty for the Cuban people. It was conspiring against the power of the state. Actually, he clear in 1959 that the direction Castro was giving the was not doing anything overt, he was part of an under- Revolution would not lead to independence and sover- ground group of peoplp.who got together to talk about eignty. As I said, the revolutionary motto was “Liberty what they had fought for in the Revolution. Rodrigues or Death,” and my view was that liberty encompasses fought against Batisti as a lieutenant in the rcvolution- everyfhing that we call political, freedom: the right to ary army, became a banker, and then lost his job because think and to express your opinion without having to he didn’t totally agree with the Revolution. Then he adjust to a padron. the possibility of pluralism, and started meeting with other dissidents. Some of the mem- everything else that is generally accepted to be the uni- bers of the group were distributing pamphlets. The versal rights of mankind. Liberty, freedom, that came charge of counterrevolutionary activity grew out of first; we wanted a democratic revolution. If we had had a that. truly democratic revolution, the direction of the govern- An example of Rodrigues’s resistance, his refusal to ment would have had to be democratic too, without be intimidated: Once the guards were going through everything being left to one man, with no one being free cells confiscating religious objects, and he refused to to question his decisions. give up the little crucifix around his ncck. He said they would have to kill him first. He was beaten severely for What do you think of the dictatorships of the Right in that. Latin America, like Chile today or Nicaragua under The second time, hc was charged with leading a con- Som oz a ? spiracy against the government within the prison itself. As a matter of principle, I cannot identify with any He was accused of this and sentenced, without proof, to government that uses force, either right-wing or left- nine more years. His wife and their four children had to wing. leave the country, for the safety of the children. I am afraid that now that I am out of prison and out of Have you any message from other Cuban prisoners, or Cuba, Rodrigues may be in even more danger. Because from others in Cuba, for people in the democracies? he is not very well known, he is vulnerable. The message I have from the prisoners is that they ask the world to please help them to get out of Castro’s jails, Mr. Matos, what was the basis of your opposition to where they wait in hop that, with the help of the good Castro? What were you seeking for Cuba? people of the world, they will obtain the freedom they That is a very dangerous question ....I differed from want and need. I have no.messagc/rom the Cuban peo- Fidel Castro because the original objective of our Revo- ple-] have a message for them. My message is that I lution wzs “Freedom or Death.” Once Castro had pow- have not forgotten them; I will never forget Cuba and er, he began to kill freedom. my people. WV7