US tries to put spotlight on political prisoners in Cuba
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States, pushing a new initiative, is seeking to spotlight political prisoners' plight in communist Cuba, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said Sunday.
"These are people who in many cases have just disagreed with the regime. ... And ... the conditions -- they're thrown in dungeons and in some cases, the little compartments where they can't stand up," the Cuban-born US official told CNN, referring to Cuban political prisoners now estimated around 270.
"Invariably, they get sick almost immediately and they're denied medical attention. This is brutality at its worst," Gutierrez said, explaining how Washington was observing May 21 as International Day of Solidarity with Cuba.
Asked about US economic sanctions that have not undone communist rule in Cuba in more than five decades, Gutierrez, who immigrated with his family as a boy, said: "there is some disagreement about the policy, the embargo; but at least we can all agree on human rights and the plight of political prisoners."
Gutierrez appeared to back the embargo policy he argued was "designed to deny resources from a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism," though he did not detail on what basis Washington believes Havana has any terror links.
And the US commerce chief quickly pointed out that even with the US trade embargo in place, thanks to exceptions the United States made to its own sanctions in order to sell food, "what a lot of people don't realize is one-third of (Cuba's) food and one-third of their medicine comes from the United States.
"The problem isn't the US policy. The problem is communism. It doesn't work. The problem is the policies in Cuba, the repression, the fear. ... I think the question that should be asked is, when are they going to change?"
Gutierrez did not question communism in key US trade partner China.
Asked about small social and economic changes Cuban President Raul Castro had made since taking power after ailing Fidel Castro stepped aside, Gutierrez said: "Everything we hear is that it is the same exact repression, fear, brutality that has existed over 49 years.
"We believe that people deserve to know, and we believe that the political prisoners in those dungeons deserve to know that the international community is paying attention to them," he added.
Raul Castro, 76, took over as president in February after his ailing brother Fidel Castro, 81, left Cuba's helm after almost 50 years as leader.
In March Raul Castro authorized the sale of personal computers to Cubans, and sales began this month, drawing new attention to restrictions on the Internet. Computer sales were banned in 2003 with Cuba blaming a nationwide power shortage.
Raul Castro also has launched other reform measures including allowing Cubans to stay in tourist hotels, take out mobile phone contracts, and buy appliances such as computers, motorbikes and pressure cookers.
The government also is carrying out some farm reforms hoping to boost food production, which Havana calls a top national security issue.
