Havana, Cuba, Jul 8, 2010 / 16:01 pm
After the Cuban government agreed to release 52 political prisoners earlier this week, the Cuban dissident Guillermo Fariñas abandoned his 140-day hunger strike.
“From this moment, Fariñas has abandoned the hunger and thirst strike,” dissident Gisela Delgado told the press.
Fariñas has been on hunger strike for around 140 days. He began his strike last February after another political prisoner, Orlando Zapata, died. Zapata was also on a hunger strike and had refused to touch any sort of food for 85 days.
This announcement comes in the wake of nearly two months of dialogue between the Catholic Church and Cuba’s communist government. On July 7 it was announced that 52 political prisoners would be released of the 73 that were arrested for treason in 2003. Five will be released immediately and the remaining 47 will be released in the next four months.
This morning, Fariñas’ mother, Alicia Hernández, indicated he would release a statement this afternoon.