Statement, Nov. 23, 1997
It is with great sorrow and profound grief that we relate today the news of the passing of Jorge Mas Canosa -- our chairman, our leader, our compatriot, our friend. Words and thoughts are difficult to convey at this most difficult time, but let us first extend our deepest sympathies and love to the Mas family -- his wife Irma, his sons Jorge, Juan Carlos, and Jose, and his grandchildren.
Certainly any reflection or testament in so short a space would never do justice to Jorge's life, his achievements, his sacrifices, and his dedication to the struggle for freedom and human rights. He was a leader, a dedicated family man, a man of faith and principle, a man of indefatigable energy and drive, and the hope of a nation.
Jorge Mas Canosa, quite simply, made a great difference in his lifetime. He legitimized the cause of Cuba's freedom. His passion, his spirit, his dream of a free Cuba, inspired us all. To him, the Castro dictatorship's continued ability to survive was less a source of frustration than one of motivation. Cuba's freedom, the restoration of respect for human dignity on the island, were propositions to which he rededicated himself daily. Lesser men certainly would have succumbed to apathy, fatigue and retired themselves to less taxing pursuits. And indeed Jorge Mas Canosa did not have to do what he did. He could have devoted himself solely to his business, to enjoying more the fruits of his own labor, and allow the Cuban tragedy to fade into the background.
But that simply was not Jorge. He was driven by his dream, by the memories of the fallen martyrs for Cuba's freedom, by his outrage at seeing a once productive island, our native homeland, despoiled by a capricious dictator. He simply would not and could not accept the lack of accountability for the crimes committed against the Cuban people. He saw what Cubans were capable of achieving in a land of freedom and opportunity here in the United States and it burdened him greatly that our brothers and sisters ninety miles away were brutally denied those same freedoms and opportunities. Such was the scope and vision of Jorge Mas Canosa.
Today, the Cuban nation mourns the loss of one of its greatest sons and patriots at the peak of the struggle to bring lasting liberty to his beloved Cuba. While we pay him the homage he so rightly deserves, to the tyranny in Havana we have but one message: Take no comfort in the passing of Jorge Mas Canosa. That is because Jorge's legacy -- from which all those who treasured him will now draw strength to continue his work -- will forever live in the hearts and minds of future generations of Cubans who will look to his example and fulfill his dream: ''A lasting nation that enjoys freedom and the right to the pursuit of happiness. A nation without bloodshed; with no exile; with no human misery; with no injustice; and with no hate. This is the dream and wish of all Cubans. And in the course of this profound question, the Cuban American National Foundation reaffirms its obligation and commitment -- to Cuba and to history.''
To those who lament that Jorge Mas Canosa's life was a great work unfinished, do not despair. Instead, we must celebrate, honor, and find strength in his legacy, that there are no limits to what each and every one of us can do to achieve freedom for our native homeland. Jorge demonstrated above all that the cause of a free Cuba lives on only because good men and women refuse to succumb in the presence of injustice and evil. Indeed, the highest tribute we can pay him is for each and every one of us to rededicate ourselves to the proposition that Cuba be free. We do that today, in his memory.
Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald