(EFE).- Cuba challenged this Friday its inclusion on a black list drawn up by the United States in which it appears among a group of countries that the Government of Washington considers to be violating religious freedom, which entails possible sanctions.
“The designation of our country on an arbitrary list shows that, once again, the US government needs to resort to dishonest accusations to maintain an unsustainable policy of abuse against the Cuban people,” Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez wrote on social networks.
He also stated that “it is known that in Cuba there is religious freedom.”
This Friday, Cuba and Nicaragua were included in the list of Countries of Special Concern, prepared annually by the US State Department, in which China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Burma, Eritrea repeat this year. , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The United States also placed Algeria, the Central African Republic, the Comoros and Vietnam on the list, as well as organizations such as the terrorist groups Al Shabab, Boko Haram and the Islamic State (IS), as well as the Taliban, the Yemeni Houthis and Russian paramilitaries. of the Wagner Group.
Included States are subject to potential sanctions such as cancellation of scientific and cultural exchanges, and suspension of development assistance
The US government annually draws up the list of countries in the world that commit “serious violations of religious freedom”, such as torture, detention and forced disappearance of people for their beliefs under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
The States included are subject to possible sanctions such as the cancellation of scientific and cultural exchanges, the suspension of development assistance, the blocking of loans or export restrictions.
The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stated in a statement that his country “will not stand idly by” in the face of religious persecution.
“We will continue to carefully monitor religious freedom around the world, defending those who suffer persecution and discrimination,” added the US foreign minister.
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