After more than 70 days of hunger strike, psychologist and independent journalist Guillermo Fariñas stands firm by his decision of taking his peaceful protest against the Cuban dictatorship that keeps more than 200 political prisoners, to the last consequences.

Nevertheless, according to Clara Pérez Gómez—Fariñas’s wife— in an interview [in Spanish] to Canarian newspaper Diario de Avisos, his body is beginning to show signs of fast deterioration like the persistent high fevers and weakness.

Fariñas also suffers from generalized acute body aches since he initiated his fast last February 24th to condemn the death of prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo, and to demand the liberation of 26 political prisoners who are gravely ill in Cuban prisons.

During the interview, Fariñas confessed that he is surprised “that some people, at this point in time, from the right or the left, close to Fidel Castro or not, can [still] state with certainty that in this country, basic rights are not violated.”

The opposition activist exhorted those unconditional supporters of the regime to visit the island and seek the truth about the human rights situation there.

“That is why, I would ask them that before they state with certainty that this is about a media campaign against the Cuban government, they asked [about] the truth to those who have suffered the daily beatings, [while] peacefully and constantly defending [even] in the most absolute abandonment, their political ideals”

Fariñas also remarked that “it is important that God has mercy on Cuba and that a transition happens without delay and without bloodshed. If I die tomorrow, my last wish will still be that Cubans can find forgiveness and reconciliation [among] all so that we can put that dark page of our history behind.”

At age 48, Fariñas has conducted 23 hunger strikes against the castroite regime, which makes him a symbol of the Cuban people’s resistance.

In 2007, Reportiers Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders) gave Fariñas its Cyber-freedom prize for “demanding free internet access for all Cubans.” On that same year, the city of Weimar in Germany, gave him their Human Rights Prize.