The Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (OCDH) denounces that during the month of May, 2015, 561 arbitrary detentions were made, the highest number of detentions so far this year. The Cuban government continues to show its particular malice against members of the “Damas de Blanco”, who during the past seven Sundays have been forcibly prevented from completing their traditional march along Havana’s Fifth Avenue.
This and others acts of repression contrast with the benevolent international image the Cuban government is trying to promote abroad. It also provides a contrast with the enthusiasm of those at the international level who appear to be more concerned with economic and geopolitical issues than with the defense of values that are respected in their own countries.
Similarly, OCDH wishes to denounce that very few improvements are noticeable in the realm of economic rights for Cubans. This is another area where real progress and reform is lacking. Much more needs to be done to generate fair and non-discriminatory conditions which would allow Cuban citizens to improve their lives, particularly those Cubans with an entrepreneurial spirit. It seems that when Cuba’s push for “economic” reform is mentioned, the term refers exclusively to the goal of providing greater opportunities for foreign investment but does not include any references to the economic empowerment of Cuban citizens.
