As I end my visit to Miami, I want to express my gratitude to all who worked with me so that I could meet and communicate with my brothers and sisters of our diaspora.

  I don't possess the means to organize major events; and no exile organization was in charge of the logistics or costs of my visit.

  So, I want to publicly recognize Msgr. Agustín Román and Fr. Francisco Santana, who, as is their custom with all Cubans, took me in and helped me as just one more son  of the Church of the Virgin of Caridad.

  I also thank my friends Orlando Gutiérrez, Julio Hernandez, Juan Suarez-Rivas and other friends who, together with my family, organized my rounds in Miami and paid my expenses.

  Finally, I thank the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County police departments for the security they provided me, necessary because of a threat on my life [from Cuba] made the day before I left the country.

  I take back to Cuba the abrazo of my brothers and sisters in exile. I leave my respect, in equal parts, to those who have given their support to the Varela Project, thereby supporting the thousands of Cubans on the island who have signed the petition and to those who have expressed their opposition to the project.

  All of us are equally Cubans. I return to my country with the certainty that our spiritual re-encounter has begun.

                                                                                                                                    OSWALDO PAYA SARDIÑAS
                                                                                                                                     Miami