Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) issued the following statement after being informed that over 20 peaceful pro democracy activists had been summarily arrested. Among them was the 2010 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought winner Guillermo Fariñas and former political prisoner Librado Linares.
The pro democracy activists were trying to participate in a peaceful demonstration in Santa Clara, Cuba to discuss a petition that asks the Cuban regime to respect international political and civil rights accords. For trying to take part in this peaceful demonstration, Castro's henchmen arrested them.
Said Ros-Lehtinen, "Responsible nations have a moral obligation to support the pleas of the brave Cuban freedom fighters and their half century long struggle against the Castro brothers. The tyranny has ratcheted up its arrests and unjustified detentions and we see a distinct toughening up of the Castro dictatorship's already brutal tactics.
I urge responsible free nations to support the peaceful pro democracy movement and also get tough on the Castro regime. If they don't do so, the blood of innocent Cubans will land squarely at their feet.
I also continue to call on the Obama Administration to stop its policy of appeasement toward this despotic regime."