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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageG,IY of AGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE itself IF File ID: #5410 < a R 9 Resolution Sponsored by: Commissioner Joe Carollo, Mayor Francis Suarez, Commissioner Manolo Reyes A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION SUPPORTING THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ORGANIZED BY ROSA MARIA PAYA ACEVEDO KNOWN AS "NI UNO MAS," TRANSLATED AS "NOT ONE MORE," AND REFERRED TO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS "#Nll+," ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF CUBA AND THE END OF THE DICTATORSHIP IN CUBA. 4 r i City of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Legislation Miami, FL 33133 s, 4 www.miamigov.com Resolution Enactment Number: R-19-0047 File Number: 5410 Final Action Date:1/24/2019 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION SUPPORTING THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ORGANIZED BY ROSA MARIA PAYA ACEVEDO KNOWN AS "Ni UNO MAS," TRANSLATED AS "NOT ONE MORE," AND REFERRED TO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS "#Nil+," ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF CUBA AND THE END OF THE DICTATORSHIP IN CUBA. WHEREAS, Rosa Maria Paya Acevedo ("Paya") is a Cuban activist for freedom and human rights and the daughter of Osvaldo Paya, founder of the Christian Liberation Movement, and Ofelia Acevedo de Paya; and WHEREAS, Osvaldo Paya opposed the one-party rule of the Cuban Communist Party and advocated relentlessly for civil liberties and freedom for political prisoners; and WHEREAS, among his countless patriotic achievements, Osvaldo Paya organized the Varela Project, a petition drive where approximately 25,000 signatories petitioned the Cuban government to establish a multi-party political system, guarantee freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and other fundamental human rights, and received the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize and People in Needs Homo Homini Award for his efforts; and WHEREAS, on July 22, 2012, Osvaldo Paya died in a car crash under controversial circumstances; and WHEREAS, following her father's untimely death, Paya continued her Father's legacy and in 2013 addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council, wherein she criticized the Cuban government for its failure to allow a plebiscite on basic freedoms; and WHEREAS, also in 2015, Paya established a new citizens initiative called "Cuba Decides," which called for a plebiscite in Cuba, was viewed as a continuation of the Varela Project; and WHEREAS, in December 2015, Paya was elected president of the Latin American Youth Network Democracy at its congress in Costa Rica, and led a delegation from the Latin American Network of Youth for Democracy to Venezuela to observe legislative elections to convey a "signal of solidarity" to Venezuelan democrats; and WHEREAS, in 2016, Paya addressed the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, accusing the Castro's of perpetrating "a fake transition not to democracy"; and WHEREAS, in December 2018, along with others, Paya organized the "Ni Uno Mas," translated as "not one more," and referred to on social media as "#Nil+," campaign on social media declaring that there should be "not one more year' of dictatorship in Cuba; and WHEREAS, "#Nil+" seeks to create awareness among the international community, including Cubans inside and outside of Cuba, about the truth of 60 years of life under the Castro regime; and WHEREAS, "#Nil+" is a call to unity, hope, and the strength in not permitting one more year of tyranny, for the good of Cuba and the hemisphere; and WHEREAS, "#Nil+" is a non-partisan non-political citizen movement, an invitation to join in action to assure that no government is above liberty and the pursuit of happiness, specifically in Cuba; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The City Commission hereby supports the international human rights campaign organized by Paya known as "Ni Uno Mas," translated as "Not One More," and referred to on social media as "#Nil+," established to promote the democratization of Cuba and the end of the dictatorship in Cuba. Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption and signature of the Mayor.' APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: 1 Una ndez, City Attor iey 1/14/2019 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.