Versión Español
Oscar Espinosa Chepe has died at the age of 72 in Madrid, Spain, where he had gone to undergo treatment for liver disease.
In the 1990s, Espinosa Chepe worked for the National Bank of Cuba as an economist and diplomat. He was a vocal advocate for the limited restoration of capitalist principles — specifically property rights — which caused him to lose his job in 1996.
Espinosa Chepe was also an outspoken critic of Fidel Castro. After losing his job, he analyzed Cuba’s economic problems with statistical data, writing for several North American and Spanish-language websites. Since Espinosa Chepe remained in Cuba, however, he was an easy target for the government and was arrested in 2003, along with 75 other activists. The Cuban government sentenced him to 20 years in prison as a “mercenary” propagandizing for the US government. He denied the accusations and was released a year later due to his poor health.
Source: Democracia Participativa. Read More »
