Diaz-Balart Condemns Arrest of Jorge Luis García Perez Antúnez, Yris Tamara Pérez Aguilera, Other Pro-Democracy Activists

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) released the following statement after the arrests of several Cuban pro-democracy activists by the Castro regime.

"Yesterday, Castro regime thugs once again arrestedpro-democracy activistsEdelvis Granda Pérez,Ciro Alexis Casanova Pérez, Yris Tamara Pérez Aguilera, leader of the Rosa Parks Women's Movement for Civil Rights, and Jorge Luis García Pérez Antúnez*, leader of theOrlando Zapata Tamayo Civic Resistance and Civil Disobedience Front.Upon the arrests, Castro's thugs went into his home and seized Antunez's computer, CDs, and other personal items.On the day prior to these activists' arrests, they began a campaign of 'No, no and no' to the dictatorship and were protesting the unjust imprisonment of activistsGeovanys Izaguirre Hernández and Laudelino Rodríguez Mendozawhose 'crime' was distributing leaflets protesting the Castro regime.

"Once again, the Castro regime has demonstrated that its malevolence and brutality have not waned.In fact, repression continues to escalate.Shamefully, the Obama administration's policy of appeasing dictators and its abandonment of promoting human rights in Cuba has emboldened the regime to intensify its oppression against the Cuban people.Although those arrested yesterday finally were released today, they and the Cuban people remain imprisoned by a regime that arrests, brutalizes, threatens and steals from them at will.Egregious human rights abuses such as those committed against Cuba's pro-democracy leaders yesterday must be roundly condemned and sanctions tightened until fundamental rights and liberties are fully realized in Cuba."

*In his support of a free and democratic Cuba, then-Speaker of the House John Boehner invited Antúnez to be his guest at the 2015 State of the Union address.

###