Editing Varela Project (section)

==Support for Varela Project==
The [[Cuban exile]] community in the United States was split on the Varela Project. Many hard-liners opposed the project out of fears that a reformist proposal would legitimize the Castro regime, and a radio commentator at [[Radio Mambi]] said that he was fired for publicly supporting the project. The [[Cuban American National Foundation]] under [[Jorge Mas|Jorge Mas Santos]], supported the Varela Project.<ref>David Adams, [https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2003/02/25/cuban-exiles-bend-toward-reform Cuban exiles bend toward reform], ''Tapa Bay Times'' (August 31, 2005).</ref>

The Varela Project was lauded by former [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Jimmy Carter]] when he made a historic visit to [[Havana]] in May 2002 and gave a televised address broadcast throughout Cuba.<ref name=BBC>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2583201.stm Cuban dissident collects EU prize], BBC News (December 17, 2002).</ref><ref>Kevin Sullivan, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/05/15/carter-urges-democracy-for-cuba/38f83874-1cd5-4005-babb-812638ececd1/ Carter Urges Democracy for Cuba], ''Washington Post'' (May 15, 2002).</ref> The [[European Union]] awarded Payá the [[Sakharov Prize|Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought]] in December 2002.<ref name=BBC/>