TAMPA, Fla. — Roberto Pizano spent 18 years in a Cuban political prison after being captured in an ambush on February 17, 1961. He was shot in the head during the attack, grazed by the bullet, and fell unconscious before being captured by Cuban forces.
"I saw innocent men executed simply for wanting freedom in Cuba," Pizano said through his son Rafael, who translated during a sit down with Tampa Bay 28's Blake Phillips at his Tampa home.
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Pizano was freed from Cuban prison in 1979 following negotiations with the Carter Administration. For more than four decades in the United States, he has continued fighting for change in Cuba by organizing rallies in Tampa and Washington, D.C., while also raising a family.
"I'm very proud of my children and my son, and I hope that I've given them enough understanding for them to continue on with the ideas," Pizano said.
After Hurricane Melissa's devastating impact, life in Cuba has become more complicated. Pizano believes now is the time for change on the island.
"I could say that the end is definitely near; we're seeing it. It's a system that is not sustainable, and I can only hope what happened historically in 2021, when the people of Cuba rose up in masses for their freedom, that it may happen again," Pizano said.
At 87, Pizano's goal is to one day return home to Cuba to share what he has learned about freedom during his time in America.
"I hope to share the amazing experience that I've had with this great nation, the United States, and share it with Cubans when they're liberated in Cuba, of what freedom is. And how it is to live in freedom," Pizano said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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