José Conrado

Who is José Conrado?

Father José Conrado Rodríguez Alegre, a Cuban priest from the parish of Santa Teresita del Niño Jesús, in Santiago de Cuba, is best known for his strongly worded open letter to Cuban President Raúl Castro. The letter condemns what Father José Conrado says are the social problems, the restrictions on liberty and the increasing threats and interrogations that have been directed at his parishioners.

Father José Conrado, considered one of the most outspoken of the church figures in Cuba, has been called the "Cardinal of the people". After a visit to see the Pope in 1998, Father José Conrado stated, "The fundamental change is the protagonism of the Cuban people after years of having to hide what they think. What has happened in Cuba is a genuine miracle. It's the resurrection of the Cuban people."

An interview with Father José Conrado by journalist Emio de Armas won third place for the Catholic Journalist's Best News Writing National/International Event, an article that, despite the restrictions on the press imposed by the Cuban government, gives an account by Father José Conrado where he details the arrest and beatings of dissidents by the Cuban police inside his church.