US renews call to free Cuba prisoners

Washington, July 12 (IANS) The United States renewed its call for the immediate release of political prisoners in Cuba as Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, anti-government demonstrations, saying the Cuban people still deserve “a better future” after decades of repression and economic hardship under the Communist government.

In a statement issued on the anniversary of the protests, Rubio said thousands of Cubans had taken to the streets five years ago demanding change for themselves and their families.

“Five years ago, thousands of Cubans took to the streets to demand a better future for themselves and their families, seeking change after decades of repression and economic incompetence by the Communist regime,” Rubio said.

He said the government responded by crushing the demonstrations.

“True to form, the regime responded with brutality, beating peaceful demonstrators in the streets and arresting thousands of everyday Cubans,” Rubio said.

According to the Secretary of State, hundreds of those arrested remain in prison.

“To this day, hundreds of Cubans remain unjustly detained for the simple sin of asking for basic rights, opportunities, and dignity. We reiterate our call for the immediate release of these, and all, political prisoners in Cuba,” he said.

Rubio said President Donald Trump and his administration wanted “a better future for Cuba and its long-suffering people.”

He said that after “decades of repression and gross mismanagement,” Cuba’s economy was “in freefall,” leaving people to endure “blackouts, hunger, and deprivation.”

Rubio added that the United States had continued to support the Cuban people through humanitarian assistance and exports of food, medicine and other essential goods.

“In this Administration, we have offered Cuba aid, assistance with reconstruction, and the promise of a new relationship between our two countries, if the regime will only agree to make political and economic reforms to allow the country a chance at prosperity,” he said.

The Secretary of State accused Cuba’s leadership of rejecting reform in favour of preserving its grip on power.

“Sadly, the regime and its corrupt elites continue to refuse any efforts at meaningful reform, instead continuing to prioritise perpetuating their own total control over the Cuban people, and their dogmatic adherence to their failed and morally bankrupt Marxist ideology,” Rubio said.

He also alleged that Cuba’s leaders continued to consolidate economic control, move the country’s remaining resources overseas and blame others for the island’s problems.

Rubio further accused the Cuban government of aligning itself with “America’s enemies,” calling it “a serious national security threat” by “hosting hostile foreign military, intelligence, terror, and operations less than 100 miles from our homeland and supporting dangerous subversive and terror networks in the United States itself.”

He said Washington would continue to pressure Havana while encouraging political and economic reforms.

“The United States will continue to use every tool at our disposal to both address the national security threats posed by the Cuban Communist regime, and to drive the economic and political reforms to give Cuba a better future,” Rubio said. “Cuba’s leaders must simply choose to commit themselves to real reforms, peace and prosperity—before it is too late.”

–IANS

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