Honoring 12 Years Since the Deaths of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero in the U.S.

This Monday marks 12 years since the deaths of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, a prominent opposition leader of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), and Harold Cepero, a young member of the same movement, in Cuba. Payá, renowned for initiating the influential Varela Project, faced his demise under suspicious circumstances. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has categorized it as a potential political assassination.

The tragic incident occurred on a Cuban highway while Payá was traveling with Spanish politician Ángel Francisco Carromero Barrios and Swedish political figure Jens Aaron Modig. The Cuban authorities, following their typical "police investigation" and "justice" process, concluded that the deaths were the result of an accident caused by Carromero's reckless driving. To repatriate their detained citizens, Spain and Sweden accepted these findings, despite the family's claims that the deaths were orchestrated by the Cuban regime.

Payá’s family, particularly his widow Ofelia Acevedo Mauda and his daughter Rosa María Payá Acevedo, have tirelessly sought the truth and strived to honor his political legacy. This Monday, in the United States, the family commemorates the deaths of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero alongside Cuban exiles, friends, activists, opposition members, and U.S. politicians.

Commemoration and Political Support

Among those who have paid tribute to the Cuban activists is Brian Nichols, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Hemispheric Affairs. Nichols remembered them as "brave defenders of human rights who gave their lives for a free and democratic Cuba." He added, "We honor their memory and consistently pressure the Cuban government to respect human rights and immediately release all political prisoners."

On social media, the families of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero extended an invitation to "commemorate their lives and work on the 12th Anniversary of the State Crime." The event will take place at the Ermita de la Caridad at 8:00 pm.

In June 2023, the U.S. government echoed the IACHR's conclusions, holding the Cuban regime responsible for the deaths of Payá and Cepero. "Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero paid the ultimate price for defending the human rights of Cubans. The IACHR concluded that Cuban state agents were involved in their deaths. These men were patriots, celebrated for their defense of democracy in Cuba," Nichols stated on Twitter.

IACHR Report: A State Crime

The IACHR report found serious and sufficient evidence to conclude that state agents participated in the deaths of Payá and Cepero. It also revealed that Carromero, the Spanish politician driving the car, was tortured and denied judicial guarantees. Based on Carromero's testimony, the report asserts that an official car rammed their vehicle, corroborated by an eyewitness. Thus, the IACHR concluded that the Cuban state violated the rights to life, honor, and freedom of expression of both individuals.

The report highlighted numerous irregularities and omissions in the investigation, including the lack of expertise or consideration of survivor statements. Furthermore, the authorities took an immediate official stance without conducting proper investigative diligence. The IACHR also noted that Payá’s family was denied access to autopsy reports and investigative findings. During the proceedings against Carromero, they were not allowed to participate, request evidence, or appeal the verdict.

"Ángel Carromero was illegally and arbitrarily detained, threatened by state authorities to confess his alleged responsibility, and subjected to torture and inhumane treatment including beatings, lack of outdoor access, sunlight, and adequate nutrition. Therefore, the IACHR determined that the state violated Carromero's right to personal integrity," explained the Commission.

The report concluded that the investigation failed to meet state obligations for due diligence, logical lines of inquiry, process publicity, and information access. It also determined that Payá’s family's rights were violated. "The family was denied the opportunity to retrieve Payá's body and had to leave the country due to state harassment and threats," the report declared.

The findings were welcomed with joy by activists, human rights organizations, politicians, and the victims' families. "That July afternoon, upon receiving the tragic news, my heart immediately recognized the truth that this Commission now reaffirms: the Castro regime finally carried out its murderous threats. However, they failed to kill Oswaldo's legacy," said Acevedo Mauda. "My husband's lessons compel us to view the future with optimism and recognize that we have the power to overcome our circumstances. The path to Cuba's liberation is already laid out—the People's Path," she added.

Rosa María Payá, the slain leader’s daughter and coordinator of the Cuba Decide project, stated that the report "confirms to the world what we have known all along: that my father, Oswaldo Payá, and Harold Cepero were executed by state agents on orders from the Castros. Now we are one step closer to justice, holding the Cuban regime accountable for its atrocious acts."

Oswaldo Payá founded the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) in 1988 to promote democracy and civil liberties through peaceful resistance in Cuba. A decade later, the organization launched the Varela Project, an initiative aimed at advancing democratic reforms under a constitutional provision (later amended) allowing citizens to introduce legislation.