The regime Cuban “is afraid to hear the voice of his own people”, Said this Tuesday the head of Latin America at the US State Department, Brian nichols, on the fort police device deployed by the Cuban authorities with which quelled the peaceful protest called for Monday.
Nichols thus commented on the dissident march organized on November 15 on the island, which in the end was not followed up on the arrest of opponents and blockades at the homes of independent activists and journalists, before the Western Hemisphere subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“It is a clear sign that the Cuban regime is afraid of the voice of its own people and of their attempts to suppress their legitimate desires for democracy and mark their own future.”Said the US official, in his first appearance before Congress since he was confirmed as head of Latin America at the State Department.
Nichols stressed that “Cuban authorities arrested, blocked and hospitalized activists throughout the island”, e “They tried to block Internet access to some people, as well as to specific networks and areas.”
Asked about the actions taken by Washington against Havana, the US diplomat said that, since the protests last July on the Caribbean island, the US has imposed “Four rounds of sanctions” against the Cuban authorities involved in the repression.
“We will continue looking for opportunities to send concrete samples of support to the Cuban people”he added, without offering further details.
Activists and organizations denounced on the Caribbean island this Tuesday arrests, arrests domiciliary and intimidation by the Cuban authorities to prevent the dissident march of November 15.
Archipelago, the group of activists that called the protest, said in a statement that they have registered “More than 100 activists besieged, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, acts of repudiation, violence, threats, coercion and hate speech.”
For his part, the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, described as “failed operation”The convocation of the march that had been declared illegal by the Government.
Rodríguez reiterated his accusation to the US Government of having orchestrated the campaign in favor of the Civic March for Change, an initiative created by a group of young Cubans unhappy with the one-party system and centralized economy in force for six decades.
Previously, the Cuban government withdrew last Saturday, hours before the start of the protests, accreditations to all the agency’s journalists and graphics EFE on the island without explaining reasons or clarifying whether it was a temporary or permanent measure, although hours later he returned them to two of them.
Source-www.infobae.com