Exactly half a year ago, Fidel Castro's regime imprisoned 75 representatives of the Cuban opposition. More than 40 coordinators of the Varela Project and more than 20 journalists and other representatives of various pro-democracy movements landed in jail. All of them were sentenced in mock trials to prison terms ranging from six to 28 years -- merely for daring to express an opinion other than the official one.

Yet the voices of free-thinking Cubans are growing louder, and that is precisely what Castro and his government must be worried about. Despite the omnipresent secret police and government propaganda, thousands of Cubans have demonstrated their courage by signing petitions backing Project Varela, which is based on provisions of the current Cuban constitution and calls for holding a referendum on freedom of speech and assembly, the release of political prisoners, freedom of enterprise and free elections. The Castro regime's response to Project Varela and to other initiatives has been at best disregard and at worst persecution...