Salvador Blanco

"We could go places, which were closed for the common people. These included the beaches in Varader, one of the most beautiful in the wolrd. The places we could go to were reserved for high-ranked politicians and their relatives. There was everything. If you ask a Cuban person what is a shrimp, they wouldn't know. There, we had shrimps, lobsters, pork... All the food you can imagine. All of it for the officials and their relatives. But not just any officials - the most important ones. Only the Central Committee of the party. One of the things I was most disgusted by was when they placed me next to Ortega in a cabaret. I sat like this with Ortega next to me and his brother on my other side. I recall him having an ill hand. I have never seen such a disgusting president as Ortega. The greasy hair and face, hygiene completely lacking. Fifteen-, sixteen-, and seventeen-year-old girls were presenting themselves in front of him. He was chosing his company. I had to witness all those disgusting moments. I was praying to God that when he goes with one of them, he would at least bath. Ortega is also known for committing rape. Even his wife is considered one of those who lack hygiene and style. It was difficult to share space with such people."

"I witnessed a lot there. I saw the murder of many people. I recall the sound of stabbing someone - it is like ripping apart a bag of sugar. I recall people crying and faces being cut. One of the greatest insults in the prison was for an inmate to take a can, fill it with feces and throw it at someone. Such action called for revenge in blood - killing whoever did that. I saw such things. I learned that most crimes in jail are committed because of grievances. People have complexes because of the people in their surroundings. Murders were done due to grievances. I saw many people full of complexes who stabbed someone to death just for hurting their ego. I can't even explain how I managed to survive. I never thought I could end up in prison. And then it suddenly happened. I don't know how did I survive. Someone, people catch me talking to myself, to God. They tell me: 'Hey, Salvador, you are talking to yourself!' But I have reasons to talk to myself 24/7 because solitude is both a friend and an enemy. While being in the cell with 120 people, I still feld solitude was the worst thing of all. How do communist systems operate? They crush you completely. They make you think you are nobody and that the revolution made you who you are. Without the revolution, you are nobody."