A Singaporean newspaper, reproduces a report by Reuters that states that the Cuban dictatorship's official newspaper, Granma, ran an interview with Guillermo Fariñas' doctor, Dr. Armando Caballero. The interview [in Spanish] delves into details of Guillermo's medical status. It goes so far as to warn of the possible imminent death of the opposition activist if he continues to refuse nourishment.

One particular section of the interview deals with the cost of the medical attention to Fariñas. This is especially ironic in a country that has boasted about its so-called free medical attention. How can the doctor calculate the costs associated with the hospital stay of the opposition activist when there has never been publicly known figures of costs associated with the "free" health care to any individual? What is then the cost of maintaining the life of ailing dictator Fidel Castro?

The official article insists on the alleged humanitarian and compassionate character of the regime supposedly on display here. However, there are Ariel Sigler Amaya, and the late Orlando Zapata Tamayo, among many others, to refute such allegations.

Completely absent from the interview are the reasons for Fariñas' hunger strike. There is no mention of gravely ill political prisoners who languish in the "compassionate" regime's horrible prisons, or of any other Cuban prisoners of conscience for that matter.

While we commend Dr. Caballero for his professional dedication to save Coco's life, we soundly condemn the regime's attempt to use it as a propaganda tool to mislead and lie to the world. We challenge the regime to explain to the Cuban people and the rest of the world the real reasons for Guillermo's hunger strike, and most importantly, we continue to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all Cuban political prisoners.

Spanish news agency, Europa Press, interviewed Cuban opposition activist Guillermo del Sol this morning. He stated that he will take over Guillermo Fariñas’ place in his prolonged hunger strike if the latter dies.

“If I have to retake on my hunger strike, I am ready to go to the death, and thus continue the struggle of Guillermo Fariñas and Orlando Zapata Tamayo” remarked Del Sol. “It is not a capricious personal [thing], the release of those political prisoners who are ill is a just and dignified demand” he added.

He also asked the international community for help: “I want to ask the international community, especially those persons and governments that have shown [us] their good will, to hold the Cuban dictatorship accountable. It is time to clamor for Fariñas. The EU and those wonderful countries that form it, like Spain, can help a lot on this issue.”

You can read the rest of the interview [in Spanish] at the link.

Almost four months have passed since the death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who lost his life after numerous abuses at the hands of Cuban penal authorities, and as the result of a prolonged hunger strike demanding a dignified and humane treatment from his captors.

Almost four months have passed since the beginning of the ongoing hunger strike by opposition activist Guillermo Fariñas protesting the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo, and demanding the release of 26 gravelly ill political prisoners.

A few weeks have gone by since the beginning of the negotiations between the Catholic Church, and the higher echelons of the regime —negotiations that have excluded and ignored the members of the opposition and civil society, and whose only tangible results until now have been a revocable “extra-penal license” [parole] for political prisoner Ariel Sigler Amaya, and the transfer of 12 others to penitentiaries closer to their places of residence.

Almost four months have passed since we launched the #OZT: I accuse the Cuban government Campaign that now has more than 49,000 signatures —from more than one hundred countries—in support of the immediate and unconditional release of all Cuban prisoners of conscience, including prestigious personalities from the arts, sciences, and politics who represent a wide ideological spectrum. Nevertheless, the Cuban regime —that has had a hold on absolute power for more than half a century— has not taken any significant steps toward the release of the political prisoners, and insists on violating the rights of the entire Cuban people.

None of these results justifies a pause in our campaign. On the contrary, our campaign begins today a second offensive to double the support received in the form of signatures demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Cuban political prisoners. We will put this support to work by bringing it before democratic governments, international organizations and the Cuban regime diplomatic representations around the world.

We call on all of the signatories of our Declaration, and to those who intend to do so, to participate in demonstrations at Cuban embassies and consulates worldwide. These demonstrations will mark the first delivery of signatures this coming 23 July 2010, on the fifth month of the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo.

We extend the invitation to political parties and organizations from every nation, as well those in Cuba and the Cuban exile, without exclusion. The lack of freedoms and individual rights affects people from every single political current equally.

#OZT: I accuse the Cuban government Campaign renews its promise to continue pressuring the regime in Cuba until it frees all political prisoners, and guarantees all freedoms and rights as spelled in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.