Antony Blinken condemns Cuba for ‘intimidation tactics’ ahead of planned protests
- The US Secretary of State vowed that the US would pursue measures seeking ‘accountability’ for the crackdown
- Opposition groups have called the march to demand greater political freedoms and the release of jailed activists
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned what he called “intimidation tactics” by the Cuban government ahead of Monday’s planned protest march in Cuba and vowed that the United States would pursue measures seeking “accountability” for the crackdown.
Opposition groups have called the march to demand greater political freedoms and the release of jailed activists, following street protests in July, the largest in decades. Cuba’s communist government has banned the demonstration, saying it is part of a destabilisation campaign by the United States.
“We call on the Cuban government to respect Cubans’ rights, by allowing them to peacefully assemble … and by keeping internet and telecommunication lines open,” Blinken said in a statement on Sunday.
Blinken urged US partners to echo Washington’s support for the demonstrators and pledged that the US “will continue to pursue measures that both support the Cuban people and promote accountability for the Cuban regime’s repression.”