WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - José Daniel Ferrer, the prominent leader of Cuba's pro-democracy movement, has arrived in Miami, Florida, after he was released from a Cuban prison for exile in the United States.
The Cuban opposition leader and human rights activist was imprisoned during the Black Spring crackdown of March 2003 for his participation as a leader of the Varela Project, and was sentenced to 25 years.
Ferrer is the founder of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, which is an umbrella group that has hosted many Cuban dissident organizations.
Due to his activism, Ferrer and his family were frequently arrested, threatened, and harassed by Cuban authorities.
In a letter written from prison, Ferrer announced that he would go into exile by October 6 as part of an agreement with authorities after experiencing 'torture' and 'humiliation' behind the bars. He finally left on Monday for Florida following a request by the US government.
At a press conference in Miami's Little Havana, Ferrer vowed to continue fighting for democracy in his country.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for the immediate release of more than 700 unjustly detained political prisoners and urged the international community to join the US government in holding the Cuban regime accountable for its abuses and their malign influence across the region.
'The Trump Administration remains committed to the Cuban people's pursuit of freedom from tyranny and in support of democracy, prosperity, and fundamental freedoms,' he said in a statement.
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