07/22/2021 3:28 PM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 07/22/2021 3:32 PM
The United States
on Thursday imposed sanctions on Cuba's Defense Minister
and a unit of the Interior Ministry for "repression" of recent popular protests, a decision that President Joe Biden warned is "only the beginning" of punitive measures against Havana. .
The Treasury Department said that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) froze the properties and interests of Minister Álvaro López Miera, as well as the Special National Brigade of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, for alleged human rights abuses
committed during the Demonstrations
that broke out throughout Cuba on July 11.
"This is just the beginning
; the United States will continue to sanction those responsible for the oppression of the Cuban people," Biden said.
"The Cuban people protest for the fundamental
and universal
rights
they deserve," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who has guaranteed that the US agency will continue to "reinforce" sanctions against Cuba "to support citizens in their petition for democracy and regime relief ".
Cuban citizens took to the streets to express their discontent over the shortage of basic products, such as food and medicine, and members of the international community and NGOs, among others,
denounced a harsh repression against the protesters
.
The Cuban government considered that it had seen "worse scenes" of repression and police violence in Europe and denied a "social outbreak."
News in development