Leer en Español
The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), which includes 35 civilian entities from inside and outside the island, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, requesting the inclusion of five Cuban government institutions on the list of terrorist organizations.
ARC coordinator Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat announced at a press conference that he had sent the letter to Blinken to “unmask” the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP) and the Cuban Workers’ Central (CTC).
Gutiérrez Boronat told EFE that these organizations are dedicated to “promoting subversion in Latin America,” in addition to pointing out that “it is internationally documented” that they promote terrorism.
The letter recalls that in 2021, the U.S. already sanctioned officials of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and the Prevention Troops (TDP) of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (MINFAR).
On July 30, 2021, President Joe Biden, continues the letter, stated that new sanctions would be imposed against repressive Cuban institutions if “human rights violations continued.”
ARC stresses in the missive that since July 11, 2021, “the regime has used local nuclei of the CDR, FMC, ANAP and CTC to identify and repress protesters” in Cuba.
The letter highlights that the role of these organizations “in the recent waves of repression” extends to the trials against the July 11, 2021 protesters, as their members, along with law enforcement officers, are the only citizens allowed to be witnesses for the prosecution.
ARC denounces that hundreds of peaceful demonstrators have been convicted on the basis of false testimonies.
In addition, the letter states that Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, who served a 16-year sentence in the US for espionage, is the current coordinator of the CDR, while the ICAP is headed by Fernando González Llort, sentenced to 15 years for the same charge.
More! Chile Continues to Stumble over the Constitutional Stone
It adds that ICAP often organizes meetings with representatives of the Syrian, Iranian and Russian governments and coordinates activities with organizations from these countries.
“We are concerned about Russia’s growing presence in Cuba, which threatens the security of the US and Cuban citizens. Since 2014, the Castro regime and the Russian Security Council have maintained a Memorandum of Security Cooperation,” he noted.
He recalled that “the Castro regime” has supported the war in Ukraine and has renegotiated a debt of 2.3 billion dollars with Russia.
Gutiérrez Boronat also announced the celebration, next Saturday, of the National Convention of the ARC in which a National Salvation Program will be unveiled, leading to a political transition within 2 years.
