South Florida Congressmen Slam Castro for Crackdown

With reports that the communist government ruling Cuba is ramping up on arrests of pro-democracy activists, two South Florida Republican congressmen took aim at the Castro regime.

"Widespread protests across the island in places such as Bayamo, Holguin, Havana, and Camaguey resulted in harassment and arrests of many of courageous pro-democracy activists by Castro's thugs, said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. Renowned leaders of the pro-democracy movement, including Dr. Oscar Biscet, have been detained and threatened with violent reprisals for daring to demand essential liberties. I urge those in the international community who value human rights to stand in solidarity with the Cuban people's struggle for freedom and demand an end to this brutal oppression.

With the Community of Latin American and Caribbean State (CELAC) meeting in Cuba this week, a South Florida Republican insisted the group, which once had Venezuelan strong man Hugo Chavez as it chair, would do nothing to promote democracy in Cuba.

"While many leaders of the Western Hemisphere will be arriving in Cuba next week, it is appalling that the current human rights situation on the island will not be addressed nor condemned, said U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. Recent intimidation and oppression tactics against democracy leaders, such as Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and others, has been widespread throughout Cuba as the Castro regime seeks to silence the democracy movement leading up to the upcoming CELAC conference. I urge responsible nations to stand in solidarity with the democracy leaders and condemn these human rights violations that must end immediately."