a|bZ

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The Ladies
in White
Cubas Human Rights
Movement

Vision and Motivation Y]

Over a span of three days in March of , Z {    Z] d{
2003, the Cuban government arrested 75
{ dY{Z] Y Z Zz la  {Zf
members of the political opposition, many
of whom were prominent journalists,
Z ,YZZ ,{YY Y Y Z]
human rights activists and librarians. Many Z] |{] fm] YY|]Zf  ] u
RIWKRVHZKRZHUHDUUHVWHGKDGEHHQOLQJ Z] { | { { Z|dY{Z] Y
critical reports with international news ZZ ]  { e {ZfY ZY
outlets on life in Cuba. The Cuban regime YZ]|{ZYY]^y
had become anxious over the increasing ZYZYY]Y]|Yme
amount of international attention these
{Y{ d{ Y e Y ] d{ {] |
reports were receiving. Fearing that they
might lose their grip on the population,
{YY Y [ ] e ,{ ] f
the government decided to crack down in Z] ZdY{Z] ] Y|] [ Y d
what became known as the Black Spring z]dY]fZ|Z
arrests.1 In order to legitimize the arrests, ZdZ{]YZZz,ZdY{Z]]
the Castro regime accused dissidents of ZY { cZ^i] Y] |vf cZY Y
UHFHLYLQJQDQFLDOFRPSHQVDWLRQIURPWKH 
{fZ
United States for attempting to politically
v   cZZv { ZZz
destabilize the state.2
Dissidents were convicted in one-day
Z  Ze  Y ^u ZuY ZM ]  |
trials and given jail sentences ranging vf ,Y| { { {YY Y | {Y{
]uY{Z]ne w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g 

from six to 28 years. Throughout their {M[M{Y{,||Z]mZYM

imprisonment, they have suffered physical dvZ]|zY~|]
abuse, been given water contaminated with YM Y m Y ,fY|] Zd^Y Y
fecal matter and food with worms, and 
|Z]Zd}Y
been prevented from receiving medical
a|b Z ]  Z Y 
care.3
A group of women who became known Z]Y{ydZz|fe,||
as the Damas de Blanco, which translates huYZ]{yYY{{[Y
to "Ladies in White," decided to voice a|b Z |  ,fY| ]Z c|
their opposition to the crackdown, which ZyYYy,Y{ZYY]
has been considered the harshest in Cuba |fY{|Y|{ZMY{yZ,ZY|
in recent years. The Ladies in White began
|{YMY|YY{yY
as a group of mothers, sisters, and other
relatives of the prisoners who hoped to
secure the release of their loved ones. |ZY|Y
a|bZZYY,YZ
Goals and Objectives
-dY Zf{ZY Z Z | |
According to Miriam Leiva, a member
of the Ladies in White, "Our objective is

ZZY|{YM
purely humanitarian, to free the prisoners ] Y Y { a|b Z 
of March 2003."4 ZY{YMZfYy,ZZ]ZdY{Z]
As an initial reaction to the Black
Spring arrests, the Ladies in White
demanded that their family members and
loved ones be released from jail. They
|YZM||Y|Y{yY{YZy
cYZe|ZZZ]YfYyY|fY{
ZMZdY{Z]Yaf{MdZ
{YM,Y||Zv,|
hoped to achieve this by orchestrating
peaceful demonstrations, which began two ZdZZY,|ZZ]ZY|
weeks after the arrests. While the group's   { Z dZ f a|b
primary goal remains the release of all Y Z Z] ZdY{Z] iZe dve Zf
75 political dissidents, the Ladies' overall Z]d{Y]ZfZeZ]ZYf
mission has grown broader. They have 
|faY]|{]Zz
been joined by other women who were
|a|bZY,aY
not directly affected by the Black Spring
{ZMY]Y|f]Y{YeYZ^
arrests, but who oppose the repressive
political tactics of the Cuban government.5 ]cYeY]YY]b
,VWDUWHGJKWLQJIRUP\KXVEDQGWKHQ {y { Zd]Z Z f] YZm fY{
for the group, and now it's for changes 
{]Y]MY^fZ
for the better of the country," says Laura
 w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g Z]]u^m-a|bZ

Polln, one of the Ladies in White. "We ^

found qualities in ourselves we did not
ZdY{Z]Yaf{a|bZ
know we had."6
{yZ{fz,Z{ZZ]
Leadership Z|{ZMZYZ{ZfZfZZ{Y
The Ladies in White began gathering Z|dY{Z]|ZyZYyYZ]
at St. Rita's Church in Havana two weeks
after the Black Spring arrests in 2003. The
group, started by Blanca Reyes and Laura
Polln, recruited women related to those
who were arrested.7 Within weeks, they
were able to mobilize a total of 30 women,
none of whom have stopped marching
since.8 In addition to Reyes and Polln, the
Ladies in White leadership circle includes|ZMaY5Z]e
Miriam Leiva, the wife of Oscar Espinosa -| l] Y   |fYe ZM f |q
Chepe; Berta Soler, the wife of Angel dZ p Ze Z M Y  Z
Moya Acosta; Loida Valdes, the wife of
]a|bZ^u|Yf
Alfredo Felipe Fuentes; and Julia Nez,
,YZ]dYZa5
the wife of Adolfo Fernndez Sanz.9
ZnM,Ze]-b 5qYbYZY
Civic Environment fWb{M,|5 YY|-ZfM
)LGHO&DVWUR
VUXOHKDVEHHQGHQHGE\ 
|Z{M,5Zy
the ongoing arrests and incarcerations of
political dissidents since the Communist
regime came to power in 1959. In
|Z
February 1999, the government passed | c| ] ZM Y fZ du
strict sedition laws; activities like ZdY{Z] Z] , Z { f 
importing texts on democracy and material | e Z ZYZ Y| Z^u 
from international news agencies became
Z]]ZY],Z{duYdY
punishable by up to 20 years in prison.10 In
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addition to placing legal limits on Cubans'
right to free speech and the dissemination YY{]]Zf{{Yq
of information, the regime tries to discredit cYZndYeY]^yZZZ
DQGZHDNHQRSSRVLWLRQJXUHVE\ODEHOLQJ
them as agents of the United States.11 With
the Black Spring arrests, Castro hoped
to crush the independent press; however,
{ZnY]|Z]fY{Y|Zd]Ze
{YM{ZZ]Y]Zd{|v
Zq|e,cZYZ]
cZYYY]\q]Z]YZz
]uY{Z]ne w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g 

the crackdown actually led to an increase fZ {Z Z^fY]  | e |vf

in independent journalism. Castro's cZ^dY{|Y,ZZ]ZdY{Z]Z]
repression served as a catalyst for dissident tLZeY][ZY-{Y{]ZYY{YM
writers, as many Cubans without internet
] fZ Y|Y |ZnY f ZZ
access began hand-writing their stories
Z| Y] ZeZ c ] ,[
and typing them on computers at various
embassies.12 |] ZZ] Y Z] {  Zz
While the Ladies in White have been {ZYmZZZfY{,dfY]f{
careful to work within the bounds of ZebZ   fd{ Z] Y {y 
Cuba's restrictive environment, they have 
|{`ZefzZZzeZ
nonetheless met heavy resistance from the { {y dZ { a|b Z M Z]
Cuban government. The government has
ZfvZ]f]ZZe[qZq
accused them of working with the United
mYd{Y||dZZ]ZY,|Y{]
States to subvert the socialist regime in
Cuba and has attempted to arrest them.13 |vfcZYZ]Z]YZMd{|Y|
According to one Cuban government fZ]{dZdm
RIFLDO WKH /DGLHV LQ :KLWH DUH D f]|dY{Z]YZM{e
"provocationordered by their Yankee e a|b Z ,Z] d{ cZZ Y
masters".14 
|Y|ve{yZZ]Z]Y
They have also been insulted and
ZZu  Y r a|b Z 
physically assaulted by government
,|YYYnZZzZ]]d{
supporters they believed were following
RIFLDORUGHUV15

|YfYue{
During their protests, the Ladies have |fYZZc|]Z]d{
been harassed by government supporters a|bZY|WYYeYY
and forcibly removed by security forces. In
April 2008, a few members of the Ladies
in White were staging a sit-in protest
when they were interrupted by around 100
Ye|q,M{|veY
|{ Y] ve ,a|b Z ZY
{|uYZe{MZm{
,a|fYd{YY{YYe
government supporters who shouted insults
at them and then helped the police force MY{]eYY]YZ
the women onto buses to remove them
from the area. Similarly, the Ladies March
2010 protests on the seventh anniversary
of the Black Spring arrests were disrupted
by security forces and hundreds of pro-
Z Zm ] f{ e {] ]
Zz] ,Z Z^mY { ] Ze
a|bZeZYY|
ZMZ|Zn,5f5YZ5YZ]
n   Y f { za Y
government demonstrators.16 Both the
ZdY|veZ]Z^eYpZ|Z
civilians and security agents physically
 w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g Z]]u^m-a|bZ

assaulted the Ladies with punches,
scratches, pinches, and hair-yanking.17
The women were dragged onto buses as
the crowd shouted insults and physically
attacked them.
Because the Cuban government tightly
controls the media, it is able to manipulate
YZ]{]a|bZZ]f^Z]
{^YeZZ]d{,Zu
{] { za e ^y z] { Y M
,a|b Z Y ] ^ Y {y Z{Y Ze
{a{[Y|Z
,| f |vf cZY e  |f
the Ladies image. For instance, in 2008, dZ|ZeY|cZ^iY
Rrather than showing images of the Ladies dudYzZZfY{Y
being forcibly removed from their sit-in, du | Zf{ Y cZY {Y{
the television news played excerpts of a MY]Z|Z]]Ze
phone conversation that the Ladies had 
{Y|ZYZ]{|
with US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen.18 The Congresswoman had
called not in connection with the sit-in \ZzZa
protest but simply to express her solidarity
ZY { {YM | Z] a|b Z
with the Ladies in White. However, the
f cYZe ] e ,{YZy Y|
Cuban government had recorded the phone
call and played it on the news to reinforce Z|fZYZZZ]Zy{MdZ
their allegation that the Ladies are a Y{^|fa|bZaY
"counterrevolutionary" political group in { b  { cZ Zf ZfZ Z
disguise, controlled by the United States. |  Y ZYZ na Z]Zy ,c
"It is all a big farce and the government YafY{d{{ZMYY|
is manipulating the information," said one
Y||ZyeM]|a
of the protestors. "The government did
  Y| dv ZZ {Y|e Z] Y
not show the images of us being yanked
around, dragged and kicked."19 |Y{ |Y ,cYZe Y Z] ZM dY f]
ZZ]ZdY{Z]ZZ]]d^ZM
Message and Audience  | M{Z du ]  {Y{ YY Y
With the goal of securing the release of 
|Y{YY{yY
jailed family members, the Ladies in White ,a|b Z MdZ Z
decided to march peacefully through the
streets of Havana on a weekly basis. Every
Sunday, the Ladies in White dress in white
and meet for Mass at St. Ritas Church,
Y ] y] |Z] ZM d | |Z
] Z Y {y cYZe ZM Y  |Z]
ZM^m,|{Y]MdZv
then silently walk down Fifth Avenue in Y Z | {]Z du e Z^
Havana.20 7KH\ HDFK FDUU\ D RZHU DQG |Z|ZeY
wear an image of their imprisoned relative ZZmZ]Zm{ZdY{]
]uY{Z]ne w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g 

labeled with the number of years of his

prison sentence.21 Through the marches,
they hope to raise awareness of the victims
of the Black Spring arrests and remind the
government that they have not forgotten
about their loved ones.22
The peaceful methods of the Ladies
in White may be the key to their success;
some believe that had they not chosen to
make their protest entirely peaceful, the
movement would have been quashed at
once by the government. "I think that is
why we have a space in Cuban society and
that's why the government has to admit us
walking in the streets and demanding. It's
WKH UVW WLPH WKDW WKH &XEDQ JRYHUQPHQW
has accepted the fact that someone has
the right to go out and demand openly
and speak out," says protester Miriam
Leiva.23 They also write letters to the ZZ]Zy{Z{||Z]duY{
Cuban government demanding the release Z] Y Y] Y {~b] Y Z cZ^Z Y
of the prisoners and appeal to foreign f~aYdYYZ]dudY
governments for support.24 So far, 22 of the
Z{|M]{Y{u
people arrested during Black Spring have
du ] r ZM |] Y z
been released, and the Ladies continue to
campaign for the release of the remainingZY| {YM ZfYy  f ZZ Z]
53 prisoners.25 dZudYy{mZyZd{Y|
Z|dY{Z]Ye,ZYZe|Y{
Outreach Activities Z^]a|bZ|Y|{YM,ZZ]
The Ladies in White did not set out to |{Y{Y|ZZ]Y|{YMY]
build coalitions or recruit larger numbers of
protesters, but their example has inspired
others to participate in the movement. fYZdZ
Women in provinces outside Havana [~m Z fWY {ZnY Y] a|b Z
have begun to dress in white, marching in
|Y{ Y|Y ,{y  ] f] Zf
protest against the unjust imprisonment of
{dZ{Y{z]ZYZMZY
their own family members.26 As many as
100 women are reported to have joined in Y ] ZZfY { Z dY {] ^m
 w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g Z]]u^m-a|bZ

the marches on special occasions.27 ZbY ]  { ZM Y a|b ,ZYZ

The Ladies have also reached out to ZY {Z Z^u ]Y] { YfY
the international community for support. Z,ZY]Z]|Y{a{y{YZy
In addition to having conversations with 
|YfaZZbY]Zefu
supportive American politicians like
Y] Zm Z] r a|b Z
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,
the Ladies in White have met with Mike |Y{ Y] Ze {y Y Z^fa dm
Parmly, the head of the U.S. Interests ZMY|fZZZ]f]ZM
Section in Havana.28 Polln believes ,|dZuZMY5f5 YZ5Yj
that some of the prisoners who were Z Y dZu f{ W ,Za Z Z]
released were freed due to international ]a|Y{Y|{ZYZ{|vfcZY
pressure. She says that their release "was
]|{YMZY|Yy]dYZ]Y
not a humanitarian gesture but rather a
|Y|Y|ZY]ZZ{
trade off in exchange for the goodwill of
Europe and Spain in particular."29 In 2005, d{ f{ZY Z  ZM Z 
the Ladies in White were awarded the ZaYZ\mY]Zf]|]]
Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought Zy]a|bZdY{]ZZbY]
by the European Parliament in recognition Y]ZyZZmZ{ZZe
of their struggle.30 |{dZ{ZaYZZaYY|Y{YM

Footnotes Zda
1. Lauria, Carlos, Campbell, Monica, and Salazar, Maria. "Cuba's Long Black Spring." The Committee
to Protect Journalists. 18 March 2008.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Frank, Marc. "Cuba Lashes out at 'Ladies in White'." Reuters UK. 25 April 2008.
5. Llana, Sara Miller. "Cuba Arrests Ladies in White." Christian Science Monitor. 22 April 2008.
6. Ibid.
7. O'Grady, Mary Anastasia. "Ladies in White." Wall Street Journal. 18 Dec. 2005.
8. Llana.
9. O'Grady.
&RXQWU\5HSRUW&XED)UHHGRP+RXVH
11. Ibid.
12. Llana.
13. Frank; Llana.
14. Frank.
 /RFNKDUW 0HOLVVD 'LVVLGHQW 7UHDWPHQW  7KH /DGLHV LQ :KLWH )RUHLJQ 3ROLF\$VVRFLDWLRQ 
March 2009.
]uY{Z]ne w w w. t a v a a n a . o r g 

16. Ariosto, David. "Pro-government demonstrators swarm human rights march in Cuba." CNN. 18
March 2010.
17. Tamayo, Juan O. "Cuban protesters punched, dragged." Miami Herald. 18 March 2010.
18. Frank.
19. Ibid.
20. "Statement of purpose from Cuban dissidents Ladies in White." Havana Journal. 8 Aug. 2006.
21. Lockhart.
22. Ibid.
23. Gjelten, Tom. "Bolder Tactics Divide Cuba's 'Ladies in White'." National Public Radio. 16 May 2008.
24. Llana.
25. Ibid.
26. O'Grady.
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid.
29. Frank.
30. Voeux, Claire. "'Black Spring' Five Years After." Reporters Without Borders. March 2008. PDF

Learn More |Y|]f]

News and Analysis ZZZ^y
"Cuban 'Lady in White' Tells of Police Repression." Amnesty International 23 March 2010.
Frank, Marc. "Cuba Lashes out at 'Ladies in White'." Reuters UK. 25 April 2008.
Gjelten, Tom. "Bolder Tactics Divide Cuba's 'Ladies in White'." National Public Radio. 16 May 2008.
Lauria, Carlos, Campbell, Monica, and Salazar, Maria. "Cuba's Long Black Spring." The Committee to
Protect Journalists. 18 March 2008.
Llana, Sara Miller. "Cuba Arrests Ladies in White." Christian Science Monitor. 22 April 2008.
/RFNKDUW0HOLVVD'LVVLGHQW7UHDWPHQW7KH/DGLHVLQ:KLWH)RUHLJQ3ROLF\$VVRFLDWLRQ0DUFK
2009.
O'Grady, Mary Anastasia. "Ladies in White." Wall Street Journal. 18 Dec. 2005.
Voeux, Claire. "'Black Spring' Five Years After." Reporters Without Borders. Mar. 2008.
&RXQWU\5HSRUW&XED)UHHGRP+RXVH
"Cuba's 'Ladies in White'." Human Rights First.
"Ladies in White." Wikipedia. 12 Jan. 2010.
"Home Page." Las Damas de Blanco. 2006. (Spanish)
"Statement of purpose from Cuban dissidents Ladies in White." Havana Journal. 8 Aug. 2006.

Books Z[Zf
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Videos ZW|
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"Neighborhood Vigilantes." YouTube. 30 Aug. 2007.