Cuban Opposition Reports 180 Arrests for Obama’s Visit

Ladies in White and other opponents of the Castro government.

HAVANA TIMES — The Cuban opposition reported Monday on the arrest of 180 activists in recent days related to the visit to the island by US President Barack Obama.

The number of arrests “would be around 180,” said Elizardo Sanchez, spokesman for the banned but tolerated Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) told dpa news.

Most were arrested on Sunday during a protest of the Ladies in White in the neighborhood of Miramar, on the west side of Havana, a few hours before Obama initiated his historic visit to Cuba.

Dozens of women and other activists were arrested after their peaceful opposition march was met by a counter-demonstration of hundreds of supporters of the government of Raul Castro.

The leader of the Ladies in White, Berta Soler, accused the authorities of violently repressing the group. In total there were about 50 Ladies in White and twenty other activists arrested on Sunday, said Soler, who also alerted that the police have warned them not to organize protests.

A Ladies in White protest was dispersed and dozens arrested hours before Obama arrived to Cuba. Photo: Reuters/#TodosMarchamos
A Ladies in White protest was dispersed and dozens arrested hours before Obama arrived to Cuba. Photo: Reuters/#TodosMarchamos

“They say they will not let us leave our homes,” Soler told dpa. The leader of the group of wives and relatives of former political prisoners said the activists would attempt to protest again on Monday in the same place, on the second day of Obama’s visit in Cuba.

The US president meets with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro on Monday morning. Obama arrived Sunday in Havana as the first US president to visit Cuba after the 1959 revolution.

The US leader has said on several occasions that he would continue criticizing the situation of dissidents in Cuba, despite the new policy of dialogue with the Castro government. Obama’s visit is framed in the thaw that both countries began in December 2014, after over a half century of ideological enmity.

Obama is scheduled to meet Tuesday with a number of Cuban dissidents. Soler, who has been invited to the meeting at the US embassy, ??said she plans to attend, though she fears being detained en route to the meeting. Elizardo Sanchez also plans to attend the meeting if he can make it to the embassy.

8 thoughts on “Cuban Opposition Reports 180 Arrests for Obama’s Visit

  • There’s no question that Obama would circumvent due process when he can get away with it. Exhibit A is the IRS.

  • Obama doesn’t care, so long as he gets a moment in the spotlight.

  • Nevermind the arrest of political dissenters, Obama did get a photo op in front of a picture of Che Guevera. From Wikiquotes,

    He was a man full of hatred … Che Guevara executed dozens and dozens of people who never once stood trial and were never declared guilty … In his own words, he said the following: “At the smallest of doubt we must execute.” And that’s what he did at the Sierra Maestra and the prison of Las Cabanas.

    Armando Valladares, Cuban dissident imprisoned by the revolutionary regime in 1960, in “‘Che’ spurs debate, Del Toro walkout” in The Washington Times (27 January 2009)

  • So 180 people got thrown into the Communist dungeons of the Castro Tyrants so that Comrade President Obama could have go buddy up with his communist idols. That typical of the way Obama operates. Obama must be so jealous since he had to secretly use the IRS against his own political opponents and engage in a massive conspiracy to cover it up when he got caught.
    He also had to use the Justice Dept to spy on the press and their families like with the AP, and Fox News Journalist Rosen and his parents.
    I have no doubt Obama would just like to send the Gestapo to arrest his political opponents, but still doesn’t have enough control of the Courts and entire Government to get away with it.

  • “Round up the usual suspects.”

    — Every Tyrant in History

  • “Cuban Opposition Reports 180 Arrests for Obama’s Visit”
    No photo-ops with the pro-democracy dissidents, Barack?
    Just these “legacy” photo-ops yucking it up with Raul?
    A special place in hell is reserved…

  • Good Luck Ladies! Perhaps only you are wise enough to know how the People of both countries will suffer when two corrupt governments scheme together in secrecy.

  • FIRST

Comments are closed.