The raid ended at 3:30 a.m. on March 19. The police
confiscated all the copies of the second edition of the independent
De Cuba magazine, a voltage stabilizer, a computer, a fax machine,
an answering machine, a printer, a video camera, and a photographic
camera.
González Alfonso, like other independent
journalists, was taken to the Havana headquarters of the State Security
Department (DSE), where he was held until April 24, when he was
transferred to the Kilo 8 Prison, in Camagüey Province.
González Alfonso’s house served as
the offices of the journalists’ association Sociedad de Periodistas
Manuel Márquez Sterling, which was founded in May 2001 for
the purpose of “promoting freedom of expression and information;
continuing the professional training of Cuban independent journalists;
defending journalistic ethics; providing moral and financial support
to its members; and strengthening ties to Cuban journalists—regardless
of where they live—and our foreign colleagues.” Although
the organization has submitted all the required documentation to
register as an association under Cuban law, the government has yet
to respond to the application.
Since the association’s founding, Cuban authorities
have made clear that they will not tolerate challenges to the government
monopoly on information. In October 2001, DSE officers came to the
offices of the association and warned González Alfonso, its
president, that they would not allow the group to offer its 2001-2002
courses, which included Spanish grammar, journalism, and English.
Since then, the association’s members have managed to continue
the courses, changing class schedules and locations to thwart DSE
surveillance.
In March 2002, the association was forced to suspend
its journalism course—taught by prestigious independent journalist
Raúl Rivero and based on a Florida International University
course—temporarily after authorities blocked its members from
entering the association’s offices.
In December 2002, the association launched its bimonthly
magazine, De Cuba, which featured articles by independent journalists.
During the search conducted at the association’s offices in
March 2003, the police confiscated dozens of copies of the second
and last issues, which were published in February 2003.
