(EFE).- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced this Monday the “direct involvement” of the United States Government in the anti-government protests of 11J, as well as the declarations of the Foreign Minister of the European Union, Josep Borrell, on the anniversary of the demonstrations.
“We reject the comments of the US Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) that confirm the direct involvement of the government of that country in attempts to subvert order and peace in Cuba, in violation of International Law,” wrote the Cuban Foreign Minister. Exteriors on his Twitter account.
That is the Cuban foreign minister’s response to a message from Blinken published on his profile on that same social network, in which he said that “one year after the July 11 demonstrations in Cuba, we recognize the determination and courage of the Cuban people in their long struggle for democracy”.
“The United States supports the Cuban people and we urge the Cuban regime to respect their voices,” added the Secretary of State of the Democratic administration Joe Biden
“The United States supports the Cuban people and we urge the Cuban regime to respect their voices,” added Secretary of State for the Democratic administration Joe Biden.
Rodríguez also referred to the statement by Borrell, whose office issued a statement saying that during the past twelve months, the EU “has reiterated its call on the Cuban government to respect the human rights and freedoms of Cubans (…) and release all political prisoners and detainees, just for exercising their freedom of assembly and expression and will continue to do so.”
The foreign minister wrote: “Cuba strongly rejects the declaration of the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell” and affirmed that the 27 lack “the moral authority to make value judgments about the Cuban reality.”
The Cuban minister also considered that the European bloc “should deal with its own problems and the frequent violations of human rights in its member states.”
The Cuban authorities deny that there are political prisoners on the island and assure that the trials have to do with “acts of vandalism” and “serious disturbances of order” organized from abroad.
The president himself, Miguel Díaz-Canel, said on the eve of 11J that on that date the “dismantling of a vandalistic coup d’état” is celebrated.
Last March, in another statement, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs also considered “disproportionate” a series of sentences announced by the Cuban Supreme Court for those detained for the 11J demonstrations.
The president himself, Miguel Díaz-Canel, said on the eve of 11J that on that date the “dismantling of a vandalistic coup d’état” is celebrated.
Borrell said then that, despite the fact that the right to demonstrate is guaranteed in the Cuban Constitution, “this use of judicial procedures and such verdicts serve to deny Cuban citizens the right to express their points of view peacefully and demand changes.
The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) pointed out in January that 790 people have been prosecuted for these events, of which 55 were between 16 and 17 years old on that date. The minimum criminal age in Cuba is 16.
Until last June 22, the Public Ministry had reported final sentences against 488 protesters. The penalties of up to 25 years in prison correspond to the crimes of sedition, public disorder, attack and contempt and the Supreme Court of Cuba ensures that due process has been observed in all cases.
However, relatives of those convicted and Non-Governmental Organizations —such as Justicia 11J and Cubalex— have criticized these actions, alleging lack of guarantees, fabrication of evidence and very high sentences.
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