Biden administration has banned 8 Cuban officials from traveling Human Rights News

The U.S. State Department has accused Cuban officials of taking part in crackdowns on opposition protesters.

The United States has banned the entry of eight Cuban government officials into the country on suspicion of meddling in the crackdown on peaceful protesters last July.

Speaking on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Cuban officials of taking part in “attempts to silence the voices of the Cuban people through repression, unjustified arrests and harsh prison sentences”.

US diplomats in particular have been particularly vocal about their treatment of Cuban protesters who took to the streets in July a wave of unprecedented demonstrations against rising food prices, a shortage of medicines and other socio-economic problems on the island.

The United States imposed visa restrictions on 8 Cuban government officials. Those who imprison peaceful protesters and sentence them to unjust imprisonment must demand responsibility. Together with the Cuban people, we are fighting for freedom.

– Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 6, 2022

“These eight people include Cuban officials involved in the arrest, punishment and imprisonment of the peaceful protesters on July 11,” Blinken said in a statement not naming Cuban officials.

The July protests They were the largest in Cuba since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro.

Thousands of people were outraged by the shortage of basic goods, the curtailment of civil liberties and the management of the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of protesters were arrested.

Travel bans are the latest action taken by the administration of President Joe Biden against Cuba, largely because he has pursued policies that have been heavily criticized by his predecessor Donald Trump for the island.

Earlier, the US administration sided with Cuban activists while praising anti-government protests.

The Cuban government has accused Washington of inciting recent unrest destabilizing the countryand also blamed the harsh economic conditions that many people are experiencing on harmful US sanctions.

“The US government continues to have a bad habit of trying to impose its will on other governments through unilateral coercive measures,” said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. tweet on Thursday.

“Today’s announcement by the Secretary of State does not change the decision to defend Cuba’s sovereign rights.”

In November, more the planned demonstrations failed Among the laws that arrest several Cuban opposition people and ban protests. In this regard, Blinken announced travel bans against nine Cuban officials for similar actions against protesters.

Blinken said Thursday that about 600 Cuban protesters remain in custody, including some who have deteriorated their health and are unable to get adequate food or medicine.

“The United States continues to use all appropriate diplomatic and economic tools to promote the release of political prisoners and to support the claim for greater freedom and responsibility of the Cuban people,” the statement said.