12 Facts About Vladimiro Roca

Vladimiro Roca Antunez was a Cuban dissident and leader of the Cuban Social-Democratic Party.

Vladimiro Roca Antunez was born in Havana, Cuba, on 21 December 1942 and was named after early Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin.

Vladimiro Roca's father was Blas Roca Calderio, a co-founder of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Vladimiro Roca served for ten years in the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces and subsequently worked as an economist for the government.

Vladimiro Roca became an active dissident in 1991, four years after his father's death.

Roque, Bonne, and Gomez were released in May 2000, but Vladimiro Roca was held for an additional two years.

Vladimiro Roca entered prison an atheist, but was baptized Roman Catholic on 24 September 1999; he credited his new faith with helping him endure imprisonment.

Vladimiro Roca was released from prison on 6 May 2002,70 days before his five-year sentence would have expired.

Vladimiro Roca stated that "we do not believe a country with such a black human rights record should be allowed to join".

Vladimiro Roca criticized the EU's lifting of sanctions against Cuba in 2008, accusing leaders of pushing the measure through against the popular will.

Vladimiro Roca was married to Magaly de Armas and they had a son and a daughter.

Vladimiro Roca died from complications of diabetes and Alzheimer's disease in Havana, on 30 July 2023 at the age of 80.