For decades the Cuban people have suffered under authoritarian rule, and have been subject to violence and arbitrary detention. In the face of this, Rosa María Payá and Michael Lima work tirelessly to fight for human rights, freedom and democracy in Cuba.

On November 16, 2022, Senator Leo Housakos gave a special recognition in the Senate of Canada in solidary with the people of Cuba and their struggle for human rights and democracy. He thanked Rosa Maria Payá, Michael Lima, and Sarah Teich for working to shine a light on these issues. This recognition came off the heels of a panel hosted by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, featuring the three’s remarks, and a targeted sanctions request prepared and submitted by Payá, Lima, and Teich to Global Affairs Canada, wherein they requested the implementation of sanctions on identified gross human rights violators responsible for the regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in the aftermath of the July 2021 demonstrations.

The full video can be seen here.