Press Advisory
Human Rights activists urge Cardinals meeting in Rome to help Catholics under repression around the world
Also urge Cardinals to facilitate peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere
Contact: John Suarez and Janisset Rivero 786-208-6056
Center for a Free Cuba. Washington DC. April 23, 2025. In a statement released today, six human rights activists urged Cardinals who are about to elect a new Pope in Rome to “call on religious leaders of all faiths to join in prayer for peace, and for the end of religious repression everywhere.”
Among the signatories are Carlos Eire, T.L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies, Yale University and author of “Waiting for Snow in Havana” and “Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy”; Rosa María Payá, Human Rights Defender; Nina Shea, Director, Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom; Felix Maradiaga, Founder and President, Nicaraguan Freedom Foundation and former prisoner of conscience, Carlos Ponce, Venezuelan by birth, Professor at Northeastern University, Dr. Jianli Yang, Harvard Research Fellow, Founder and President of Citizen Initiatives for China, and John Suarez, Executive Director, Center for a Free Cuba
The Center for a Free Cuba makes public the following statement sent by human rights leaders with their condolences for the death of Pope Francis to Cardinals and members of the Church hierarchy.
STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS AND A PLEA TO THE CARDINALS THAT WILL MEET IN ROME.
The Holy Father has died and he is now at the side of Our Lord.
Pope Francis has the prayers of all Catholics on Earth, and indeed the prayers of all believers around the world.
The Cardinals will hold a Conclave soon to elect a new Pope. The death of Pope Francis takes place at a critical time: the war in Ukraine goes on, Israel’s conflict in Gaza continues, and the potentially disastrous consequences of Iran building its first atomic bomb all demand the urgent attention of world leaders. Catholics continue to suffer religious persecution in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In addition to carrying out their duty to elect a new Pontiff, the Cardinals should call on world leaders to seek nonviolent means to deal with issues to prevent a nuclear holocaust.
The Conclave in Rome should call on religious leaders of all faiths to join in prayer for peace, and for the end of religious repression everywhere.
We pray that the Cardinals urge Catholics everywhere to lend their voices to the cries for help of those being persecuted for their beliefs. What better legacy for Pope Francis than for the Church to lead a worldwide effort for peace and the end of religious repression?
*In Africa,
from Nigeria to Mozambique, Sudan and Burkina Faso, Christians were victims of horrific persecution in 2024, mainly because of their faith. They were murdered, kidnapped, and abducted by armed gangs, militias, and Islamist extremists, who also burned down churches and raped women and girls.
*In China the
sinicization of religion” policy subordinates religious groups to the Chinese Communist Party’s political agenda and a Marxist vision for religion, is the core driving principle of the government’s management of religious affairs. An example of this is the case of
Msgr. Thaddeus Ma Daqin, Auxiliary Bishop of Shanghai, who has been under house arrest since 2012 for refusing to register with the Catholic Patriotic Association, a government entity that controls the lives of Catholics in China. Authorities have incorporated communist ideology into every facet of religious life for Buddhists, Catholic and Protestant Christians, Muslims, and Taoists.
In Latin America, political repression, crime, and economic stagnation continue to rage, causing deprivation for millions and fueling mass migrations. Three countries ruled by totalitarian dictatorships are in crisis: Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
*In Cuba the persecution of the
Ladies in White continues. They are women —mothers, daughters and sisters— of more than one thousand political prisoners who have been harassed, detained and beaten by the police for daring to march to attend Mass silently on Sundays. In July 2024, the Cuban Parliament approved the Citizenship Law,
which includes a provision that strips Cubans of their citizenship if their peaceful religious activity conflicts with the official ideology.
*In Venezuela, when a church or other religious institution launches an initiative that the government perceives as competition,
it hinders it. This may entail the expropriation of certain spaces, the eviction of the church or ministry from the location where they operate, the use of organized gangs or criminal organizations against religious leaders, or any other form of harassment.
We pray that the Cardinals today and the new Pope tomorrow should do everything possible to bring to an end such cruelties and abuse.
Respectfully,
Carlos Eire, T.L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies, Yale University
Rosa María Payá, Human Rights Defender
Nina Shea, Director, Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom
Felix Maradiaga, Founder and President, Nicaraguan Freedom Foundation
Carlos Ponce, Venezuelan, Professor at Northeastern University, United States
