EuropaPress* - The first seven Cuban dissidents released from prison by the regime in La Habana have arrived in Madrid this Tuesday, and have stated that their release is the result of the protests of their late comrade Orlando Zapata Tamayo, independent journalist Guillermo Fariñas, and of the Cuban exile in favor of freedom in the island.

At a press conference after their arrival at Madrid-Barajas Airport, one of the freed dissidents, Julio César Gálvez, has read a communiqué in the name of all his comrades. In the communiqué they state that the opening of this process of dialog between the Castroite regime and the Cuban [Catholic] Church that has allowed their release “has been possible because of the fight and decisive support of thousands of Cubans for freedom, democracy and peace.”

Within this fight, they have especially highlighted the “martyrdom of Orlando Zapata, the demands of Guillermo Fariñas [expressed through] 135 days of hunger strike” and “the unbreakable faith and resistance of the Ladies in White and the Cuban exile (…) with the important participation of the Cuban [Catholic] Church.”

Gálvez has also thanked the Spanish government on behalf of his colleagues for its “role of companion” in this dialog. Answering a question from a journalist, another one of the released, Ricardo González Alfonso, has assured them that they do not feel “manipulated” by the Castroite regime.

The [Spanish] Undersecretary [of Foreign Affairs] for Latin America, Juan Pablo de Laiglesia, who was with the released at the conference, remarked that the Spanish government will work to “facilitate their integration into Spanish society.”

These seven political prisoners —that are part of a larger group of 20 who, according to the Archdiocese of La Habana, have already consented to travel to Spain after being released from prison— will spend two days in several hotels in Madrid until [several Spanish NGOs] take charge of them and distribute them around reception centers in different parts of the country. These NGOs have offered shelter, monetary support and employment advice to all Cuban political prisoners travelling to Spain.