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Give Me Liberty: The True Story of Oswaldo Payá and his Daring Quest for a Free Cuba
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning Washington Post reporter David E. Hoffman comes the riveting biography of Oswaldo Payá, a dissident who dared to defy Fidel Castro, inspiring thousands of Cubans to fight for democracy.
Oswaldo Payá was seven years old when Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba, promising to create a “free, democratic, and just Cuba.” But Castro instead created an authoritarian regime with little tolerance of free speech or thought. His secret police were trained to crush dissent by East Germany’s ruthless Stasi.
Throughout Cuba’s 20th century history, the dream of democracy was often just within reach, only to be dashed by dictatorship and revived again by a new generation. Payá inherited this dream and it became his life’s work. As a teenager in Communist Cuba, he led a protest against the Soviet-led shattering of the Prague Spring. Before long, he was sent to Castro’s forced labor camps. Payá later became a leading voice of opposition and formed a pro-democracy movement. A devoted Catholic, he championed a simple, bedrock belief that rights are bestowed by God, and not the state. Every day, he witnessed these rights trampled in Cuba. He could not stay silent.
Payá’s most daring challenge to the Cuban government was the Varela Project, a one-page citizen petition demanding free speech, a free press, freedom of association, freedom of belief, private enterprise, free elections and freedom for political prisoners. More than 35,000 people signed the Varela Project, an extraordinary outpouring of protest—with nothing more than pen and paper—against Castro’s decades of despotism. The regime responded by ignoring the petition, arresting dozens of Payá’s followers and sending them to prison for many years. After receiving multiple death threats, Payá was killed in a suspicious car wreck on a remote country road.
Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter David E. Hoffman returns with an epic portrait of a lone individual who had the courage, faith, and persistence to struggle for democracy against an unforgiving dictator. At its heart, Give Me Liberty is a sweeping account of one country’s tragic and continuing struggle for its freedom.
Oswaldo Payá was seven years old when Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba, promising to create a “free, democratic, and just Cuba.” But Castro instead created an authoritarian regime with little tolerance of free speech or thought. His secret police were trained to crush dissent by East Germany’s ruthless Stasi.
Throughout Cuba’s 20th century history, the dream of democracy was often just within reach, only to be dashed by dictatorship and revived again by a new generation. Payá inherited this dream and it became his life’s work. As a teenager in Communist Cuba, he led a protest against the Soviet-led shattering of the Prague Spring. Before long, he was sent to Castro’s forced labor camps. Payá later became a leading voice of opposition and formed a pro-democracy movement. A devoted Catholic, he championed a simple, bedrock belief that rights are bestowed by God, and not the state. Every day, he witnessed these rights trampled in Cuba. He could not stay silent.
Payá’s most daring challenge to the Cuban government was the Varela Project, a one-page citizen petition demanding free speech, a free press, freedom of association, freedom of belief, private enterprise, free elections and freedom for political prisoners. More than 35,000 people signed the Varela Project, an extraordinary outpouring of protest—with nothing more than pen and paper—against Castro’s decades of despotism. The regime responded by ignoring the petition, arresting dozens of Payá’s followers and sending them to prison for many years. After receiving multiple death threats, Payá was killed in a suspicious car wreck on a remote country road.
Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter David E. Hoffman returns with an epic portrait of a lone individual who had the courage, faith, and persistence to struggle for democracy against an unforgiving dictator. At its heart, Give Me Liberty is a sweeping account of one country’s tragic and continuing struggle for its freedom.
544 pages, Hardcover
Published June 21, 2022
16 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
David E. Hoffman
8 books328 followers David E. Hoffman covered Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign for the Knight-Ridder newspapers. In 1982, he joined The Washington Post to help cover the Reagan White House. He also covered the first two years of the George H.W. Bush presidency. His White House coverage won three national journalism awards. After reporting on the State Department, he became Jerusalem bureau chief for The Post in 1992, and served as Moscow bureau chief, 1995-2001. He was also foreign editor and Assistant Managing Editor for Foreign News.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 12, 2022
Though politically informed, I am not particularly interested in political books in general, nor about Cuba in particular. My initial interest in this book stemmed from the accolades of its author. At first, the details of Cuban history confused me; then, it enlightened me; then, it moved me; finally, this book ended with my heart to yearn for the Cuban people. Hoffman weaves together many streams in this biography that centrally tells of one man’s crusade to have his children live in a free Cuba.
Although I pay close attention to American news, I did not know who Oswaldo Payá was before this book. I finished it admiring his character and wishing his efforts to succeed. Cuban freedom is a cause that seems like it should so obviously go forward, but the oppressive power of a few holds it back. Oswaldo and his family contended for this cause from within Cuba for his entire life. As portrayed by Hoffman, he never joined the Revolution and instead hoped that the Cuban people – not the US but the people – would take the primary voice to determine their own destiny. As such, this longing for freedom and self-determination speaks to the universal human condition.
Like many Cubans, Oswaldo’s search for freedom ran through the Roman Catholic church. He saw freedom as a gift from God. Though isolated from the rest of the world for much of his life, he searched his soul for how Cuban democracy should proceed. The Cuban secret police hounded and targeted him and his family for much of his life. Nonetheless, while working as a medical technologist, he continued leading the island’s movement with courage.
This movement was not without its successes. It delivered, several times, tens of thousands of signatures calling for free and fair elections along with social liberties. It advocated the adoption of principles from a prior Cuban constitution that was forgotten by the Castro regime. The visit of Pope John Paul II was a noteworthy highlight. Current unrest is still a dominant theme on the island.
Much violence, war, and loss reside in this book. I yearn for a good ending for this story, an ending filled with hope and freedom, yet the ending of this story remains relatively unwritten. As an American outsider, I cannot help but think the dictatorial regime in Cuba will meet its end, but raw, self-serving power seems to suppress its unpopular aura. Direct American intervention is not always wise; Oswaldo wanted Cuba to determine its own destiny, not the American giant to the north.
Many, particularly those in South Florida, will disagree with this or that in Oswaldo’s approach. Strategy can always be debated. Yet I hope – and I think Hoffman hopes – that this book will show Oswaldo’s character and enlighten the international community to the dignity his approach offers. I learned a lot from this book, and it taught me to cherish better the everyday value of freedom. Even in America, strong men can oppress – Fidel’s politics and American politics can seem eerily similar at spots. Oswaldo’s story teaches us all the value of democracy and human rights in very human terms. I’m grateful to Hoffman for sharing it.
Although I pay close attention to American news, I did not know who Oswaldo Payá was before this book. I finished it admiring his character and wishing his efforts to succeed. Cuban freedom is a cause that seems like it should so obviously go forward, but the oppressive power of a few holds it back. Oswaldo and his family contended for this cause from within Cuba for his entire life. As portrayed by Hoffman, he never joined the Revolution and instead hoped that the Cuban people – not the US but the people – would take the primary voice to determine their own destiny. As such, this longing for freedom and self-determination speaks to the universal human condition.
Like many Cubans, Oswaldo’s search for freedom ran through the Roman Catholic church. He saw freedom as a gift from God. Though isolated from the rest of the world for much of his life, he searched his soul for how Cuban democracy should proceed. The Cuban secret police hounded and targeted him and his family for much of his life. Nonetheless, while working as a medical technologist, he continued leading the island’s movement with courage.
This movement was not without its successes. It delivered, several times, tens of thousands of signatures calling for free and fair elections along with social liberties. It advocated the adoption of principles from a prior Cuban constitution that was forgotten by the Castro regime. The visit of Pope John Paul II was a noteworthy highlight. Current unrest is still a dominant theme on the island.
Much violence, war, and loss reside in this book. I yearn for a good ending for this story, an ending filled with hope and freedom, yet the ending of this story remains relatively unwritten. As an American outsider, I cannot help but think the dictatorial regime in Cuba will meet its end, but raw, self-serving power seems to suppress its unpopular aura. Direct American intervention is not always wise; Oswaldo wanted Cuba to determine its own destiny, not the American giant to the north.
Many, particularly those in South Florida, will disagree with this or that in Oswaldo’s approach. Strategy can always be debated. Yet I hope – and I think Hoffman hopes – that this book will show Oswaldo’s character and enlighten the international community to the dignity his approach offers. I learned a lot from this book, and it taught me to cherish better the everyday value of freedom. Even in America, strong men can oppress – Fidel’s politics and American politics can seem eerily similar at spots. Oswaldo’s story teaches us all the value of democracy and human rights in very human terms. I’m grateful to Hoffman for sharing it.
August 4, 2022
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning Washington Post reporter David E. Hoffman comes the riveting biography of Oswaldo Payá, a dissident who dared to defy Fidel Castro, inspiring thousands of Cubans to fight for democracy.
Give Me Liberty is an epic portrait of Oswaldo Paya, a man who protested the Cuban regime and gathered signatures in forms of peaceful protest. His goals were to spur nonviolent internal change by Cubans, for Cubans. The book does go into historical context before we even get to the birth of Oswaldo, to be prepared for a lot of detailed context. While it can be a lot of information, and at times, you might be thinking “When do I get to Oswaldo’s story?!” It's extremely important to be cognizant of Cuba’s past governments as they are often referenced when we speak about Cuba’s history. And unfortunately, the American education system fails to provide us information about Cuba beyond the Bay of Pigs. We really ought to have more people taught about Cuban history broadly, because the result of this is that we have entire generations of individuals who are learning about Cuba from sketchy pro-government accounts off Twitter. A red flag is when you have someone speaking poorly of the US’s actions upon Cuba (which to be honest, they’re not exactly innocent here), but says NOTHING about the actual human rights atrocities of the Cuban regime. Even better, they’ll deny that a dictatorship exists and insist that Cuba couldn’t be a bad place to live since it has free healthcare! The embargo does harm the Cuban people… But as we learn in Give Me Liberty, the Cuban government actively oppresses its people and tortures them.
As someone who would be considered a “gusano,” someone contrary to the Cuban regime, it’s important that we teach people about the truth of the Cuban dictatorship. Fidel Castro, with time, will be seen historically along the same lines as Hitler, Mao Zedong, and Stalin. While we have an entire Cuban population and exile Cuban population that has shouted this for decades, the world is only just becoming aware of the Cuban government’s human rights crimes. Unfortunately, we are not there yet. As you can see from the recent movie announced where James Franco is aiming to play a charming Fidel Castro. Talk about inappropriate and insensitive!
I encourage you to read Give Me Liberty if you are not familiar with Cuban politics. And I further encourage you to read it even if you are familiar. There is always something new to learn about the history of Cuba. And, as we witness the events post-#SOSCuba in 2022-onward, we will need to be prepared to uplift the voices of the Cuban people now more than ever ¡Patria y vida!
Give Me Liberty is an epic portrait of Oswaldo Paya, a man who protested the Cuban regime and gathered signatures in forms of peaceful protest. His goals were to spur nonviolent internal change by Cubans, for Cubans. The book does go into historical context before we even get to the birth of Oswaldo, to be prepared for a lot of detailed context. While it can be a lot of information, and at times, you might be thinking “When do I get to Oswaldo’s story?!” It's extremely important to be cognizant of Cuba’s past governments as they are often referenced when we speak about Cuba’s history. And unfortunately, the American education system fails to provide us information about Cuba beyond the Bay of Pigs. We really ought to have more people taught about Cuban history broadly, because the result of this is that we have entire generations of individuals who are learning about Cuba from sketchy pro-government accounts off Twitter. A red flag is when you have someone speaking poorly of the US’s actions upon Cuba (which to be honest, they’re not exactly innocent here), but says NOTHING about the actual human rights atrocities of the Cuban regime. Even better, they’ll deny that a dictatorship exists and insist that Cuba couldn’t be a bad place to live since it has free healthcare! The embargo does harm the Cuban people… But as we learn in Give Me Liberty, the Cuban government actively oppresses its people and tortures them.
As someone who would be considered a “gusano,” someone contrary to the Cuban regime, it’s important that we teach people about the truth of the Cuban dictatorship. Fidel Castro, with time, will be seen historically along the same lines as Hitler, Mao Zedong, and Stalin. While we have an entire Cuban population and exile Cuban population that has shouted this for decades, the world is only just becoming aware of the Cuban government’s human rights crimes. Unfortunately, we are not there yet. As you can see from the recent movie announced where James Franco is aiming to play a charming Fidel Castro. Talk about inappropriate and insensitive!
I encourage you to read Give Me Liberty if you are not familiar with Cuban politics. And I further encourage you to read it even if you are familiar. There is always something new to learn about the history of Cuba. And, as we witness the events post-#SOSCuba in 2022-onward, we will need to be prepared to uplift the voices of the Cuban people now more than ever ¡Patria y vida!
September 13, 2022
This is a very good book. Many books written about the Castro years concern the Bay of Pigs or conversely attempt to glorify Castro and Che Guevara. In this book we see the mind-numbing brutality of the personal autocracy and its effect on the average Cuban. Paya was persecuted and eventually killed by the Cuban regime for insisting on basic freedoms including freedom to practice his faith. The book is tragic and moving.
If you still harbor a fond love for Castro and the Cuban regime, this book will change your mind.
If you still harbor a fond love for Castro and the Cuban regime, this book will change your mind.
June 24, 2022
This was a great read and I learned a lot about Cuban history, the reality of life under Castro, the mechanisms of the police state and their influences, the Catholic Church; and the amazing life and struggles of Oswaldo Payā. I wish more people would read this book and especially those who glamorize Communist rule in China and the history of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. No one who is truly interested in human rights and freedom can have a positive view of the police state they created.
August 3, 2022
Mycket välskriven bok som helt uppenbart bygger på ett väldigt gediget research-arbete. Även om jag kände till det mesta av detta tidigare är jag imponerad av hur väl författaren sätter in Payas gärning i sin kontext av Kubas totalitära politiska historia. Gör Payas karaktär rättvisa. Läsvärd.
January 23, 2024
As someone with limited knowledge of Cuba's intricate history, the book served as an eye-opening exploration of the island nation's struggles with communism and authoritarianism.
"Give Me Liberty" offers a comprehensive overview of Cuban history from the nineteenth-century wars of independence to the present. Hoffman debunks Castro's progress myths while providing context for initial Cuban support of the 1959 revolution. I find it remarkable that, as pointed out by Hoffman, the Castro brothers explicitly denied being communists during the revolution. Fidel, in fact, promised that the revolutionary government would be temporary and that free elections would be held a year after deposing Batista (a promise that, sixty-four years later, has yet to be implemented).
Throughout Castro's dictatorship, the accounts of state surveillance, forced labor camps for youths, prisoner abuse, the propagation of lies to quash dissent, and the complete eradication of free press and newspapers left me in shock. Additionally, the constant migration of Cubans on dangerous rafts journeys to the U.S. stood out to me. It made me respect Oswaldo Payá more, as he chose to stay and fight for democracy in Cuba despite chances to leave. The tragic ending to his story, marked by a suspicious car crash, added a somber note, particularly considering his unwavering response to those urging him to leave—a steadfast belief that his children would live in a free Cuba.
Oswaldo Payá is among the most inspiring human rights and democracy activists I've studied. His founding of the Christian Liberation Movement and initiation of the Varela Project showcased a commitment to peaceful activism in the face of adversity. He dedicated his entire life to resisting Castro's oppression, firmly believing in the God-given rights that the state cannot revoke. Throughout his life, these rights were robbed, defiled, and denied in Cuba. While he never experienced a state of liberty, the concept lived in his mind, and whose efforts ultimately cost him his life.
I'm genuinely inspired by Oswaldo Payá's lifelong advocacy for human rights in Cuba. He stands out as an incredibly brave individual who endured significant challenges in his efforts to bring democracy to Cuba, facing one of the longest and most brutal dictatorships in history. I believe more people should be aware of the remarkable journey he undertook.
"Give Me Liberty" offers a comprehensive overview of Cuban history from the nineteenth-century wars of independence to the present. Hoffman debunks Castro's progress myths while providing context for initial Cuban support of the 1959 revolution. I find it remarkable that, as pointed out by Hoffman, the Castro brothers explicitly denied being communists during the revolution. Fidel, in fact, promised that the revolutionary government would be temporary and that free elections would be held a year after deposing Batista (a promise that, sixty-four years later, has yet to be implemented).
Throughout Castro's dictatorship, the accounts of state surveillance, forced labor camps for youths, prisoner abuse, the propagation of lies to quash dissent, and the complete eradication of free press and newspapers left me in shock. Additionally, the constant migration of Cubans on dangerous rafts journeys to the U.S. stood out to me. It made me respect Oswaldo Payá more, as he chose to stay and fight for democracy in Cuba despite chances to leave. The tragic ending to his story, marked by a suspicious car crash, added a somber note, particularly considering his unwavering response to those urging him to leave—a steadfast belief that his children would live in a free Cuba.
Oswaldo Payá is among the most inspiring human rights and democracy activists I've studied. His founding of the Christian Liberation Movement and initiation of the Varela Project showcased a commitment to peaceful activism in the face of adversity. He dedicated his entire life to resisting Castro's oppression, firmly believing in the God-given rights that the state cannot revoke. Throughout his life, these rights were robbed, defiled, and denied in Cuba. While he never experienced a state of liberty, the concept lived in his mind, and whose efforts ultimately cost him his life.
I'm genuinely inspired by Oswaldo Payá's lifelong advocacy for human rights in Cuba. He stands out as an incredibly brave individual who endured significant challenges in his efforts to bring democracy to Cuba, facing one of the longest and most brutal dictatorships in history. I believe more people should be aware of the remarkable journey he undertook.
July 7, 2025
I think this is an important book both because it gives a long-term overview of the life of a key Cuban dissident and because it frames his efforts within the broader evolution of right to protest in Cuba since independence.
Biggest point of potential controversy is whether Payá was killed by the Cuban state or not. Hofman provides lots of circumstantial evidence but also takes care to point out that physical evidence isn’t public and no independent investigation was permitted, so we may never know for sure.
In my mind I don’t think it makes sense that this was a hit. If someone is so protected by their importance that you want to avoid jailing them, why hit them in a way that 1) could easily have not resulted in their death (other ppl in car survive) and 2) do so in a way that looks suspicious to international opinion in precisely the ways the state wanted to avoid by not jailing him to begin with.
He also shares examples of lug nuts being loosened and other possible attempts to hurt payá, and these may be true (look at how state security harasses foreign journos and diplomats), so I don’t think it’s out of the question but it’s also hard to verify any of these beyond the anecdotes of people extremely committed to the idea he was murdered.
I think it makes more sense that if the Cuban state killed him and covered it up, that it was part of the harassment campaign gone wrong, rather than a high level choice to take him out, but the full truth will have to wait until the archives open up someday, and perhaps not even then.
Biggest point of potential controversy is whether Payá was killed by the Cuban state or not. Hofman provides lots of circumstantial evidence but also takes care to point out that physical evidence isn’t public and no independent investigation was permitted, so we may never know for sure.
In my mind I don’t think it makes sense that this was a hit. If someone is so protected by their importance that you want to avoid jailing them, why hit them in a way that 1) could easily have not resulted in their death (other ppl in car survive) and 2) do so in a way that looks suspicious to international opinion in precisely the ways the state wanted to avoid by not jailing him to begin with.
He also shares examples of lug nuts being loosened and other possible attempts to hurt payá, and these may be true (look at how state security harasses foreign journos and diplomats), so I don’t think it’s out of the question but it’s also hard to verify any of these beyond the anecdotes of people extremely committed to the idea he was murdered.
I think it makes more sense that if the Cuban state killed him and covered it up, that it was part of the harassment campaign gone wrong, rather than a high level choice to take him out, but the full truth will have to wait until the archives open up someday, and perhaps not even then.
July 7, 2022
An extremely sad Story
The contents of this beautiful book should be a lesson to learn for those who think that the small group in control of Cuba is not a dictatorship. Definitely they hate the cuban people because of their silent resistance!!
The contents of this beautiful book should be a lesson to learn for those who think that the small group in control of Cuba is not a dictatorship. Definitely they hate the cuban people because of their silent resistance!!
May 7, 2023
This was an interesting book that details some of the specific repression of Castro and the Cuban government, as well as giving glimpses into some of the nonviolent action aimed at bringing democracy to Cuba. In that way, it was very interesting.
That being said, the book was definitely skewed against the Castro regime. Now, I'm not at all a fan of him or what he has done. He's a wicked dictator who restricts freedoms. That being said, the book seems to promote American exceptionalism. It depicts Castro as paranoid.... I mean, the CIA came up with like 638 assassination plans for Castro, not to mention all the successful coups and assassinations they carried out - especially in the Americas. Yet the book fails to note U.S. meddling and just paints Castro as reclusive and paranoid.
On top of that, the book fails to note that a lot of the economic difficulty Cuba has had came as a result of the U.S. embargo. They essentially didn't let anything in or out - then blame the economic situation on communism or Castro.
Again, I'm not a fan of dictators or communism, but I am a fan of the full picture. Cuba's situation is a result of Castro, but it's also a result of U.S. imperialism. Cuba has done great good in the world, like fighting in Angola and fighting against S. African apartheid while the U.S. was supporting it, or being a refuge for blacks like Robert F. Williams who had to flee U.S. headhunting during the Civil Rights movement. This book is completely lopsided and doesn't present a full picture of either Cuba or the U.S.
That being said, the book was definitely skewed against the Castro regime. Now, I'm not at all a fan of him or what he has done. He's a wicked dictator who restricts freedoms. That being said, the book seems to promote American exceptionalism. It depicts Castro as paranoid.... I mean, the CIA came up with like 638 assassination plans for Castro, not to mention all the successful coups and assassinations they carried out - especially in the Americas. Yet the book fails to note U.S. meddling and just paints Castro as reclusive and paranoid.
On top of that, the book fails to note that a lot of the economic difficulty Cuba has had came as a result of the U.S. embargo. They essentially didn't let anything in or out - then blame the economic situation on communism or Castro.
Again, I'm not a fan of dictators or communism, but I am a fan of the full picture. Cuba's situation is a result of Castro, but it's also a result of U.S. imperialism. Cuba has done great good in the world, like fighting in Angola and fighting against S. African apartheid while the U.S. was supporting it, or being a refuge for blacks like Robert F. Williams who had to flee U.S. headhunting during the Civil Rights movement. This book is completely lopsided and doesn't present a full picture of either Cuba or the U.S.
August 21, 2023
Excellent. I wish everyone would read this.
July 3, 2022
A great book about the life of a great man, Oswaldo Payá. The author deeply documents every detail. An essential book for those who want to approach the history of Cuba and Payá and their struggle against the communist dictatorship of Fidel Castro. A struggle in search of freedom and rights. Because, as he used to say: Cubans are also entitled to rights, even though for decades they have been kidnapped. Vargas Llosa is right: the book reads like a novel. I totally recommend it.
Un gran libro sobre la vida de un gran hombre, Oswaldo Payá. El autor documenta profundamente cada detalle. Un libro imprescindible para quienes quieren acercarse a la historia de Cuba y de Payá y su lucha contra la dictadura comunista de Fidel Castro. Una lucha en busca de la libertad y los derechos. Porque, como él solía decir: los cubanos también tienen derecho a los derechos, aunque durante décadas se los han secuestrado. Vargas Llosa tiene razón: el libro se lee como una novela. Lo recomiendo totalmente.
Un gran libro sobre la vida de un gran hombre, Oswaldo Payá. El autor documenta profundamente cada detalle. Un libro imprescindible para quienes quieren acercarse a la historia de Cuba y de Payá y su lucha contra la dictadura comunista de Fidel Castro. Una lucha en busca de la libertad y los derechos. Porque, como él solía decir: los cubanos también tienen derecho a los derechos, aunque durante décadas se los han secuestrado. Vargas Llosa tiene razón: el libro se lee como una novela. Lo recomiendo totalmente.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews