III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 310 

Expressing solidarity with Cuban citizens demonstrating peacefully for fundamental freedoms, condemning the Cuban regime’s acts of repression, 

and calling for the immediate release of arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 21, 2021 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. RISCH, Mr. 

KAINE, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. COONS, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. CORTEZ

MASTO, Mr. BROWN, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. WARNER, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. 

ROSEN, Mr. WARNOCK, Mr. LUJA ́N, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. HAGERTY, and 

Ms. HASSAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JULY 28, 2021 

Reported by Mr. MENENDEZ, with an amendment 

AUGUST 3, 2021 

Considered, amended, and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing solidarity with Cuban citizens demonstrating 

peacefully for fundamental freedoms, condemning the 

Cuban regime’s acts of repression, and calling for the 

immediate release of arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens. 

Whereas, on July 11, 2021, thousands of Cuban citizens took 

to the streets to peacefully protest and to call for respect 

for basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, and 

the end of the dictatorship in Cuba; 


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SRES 310 ATS 

Whereas the demonstrations were the largest protests witnessed on the island in 25 years, with courageous Cuban 

men, women, and youth taking to the streets in at least 

50 different cities and towns across every province to affirm a deep aspiration for democratic change and to denounce the regime’s corruption; 

Whereas the nationwide protests represent the full diversity 

of Cuban society, with demonstrators proudly proclaiming 

‘‘Patria y Vida!’’ (Homeland and Life!) and calling for 

‘‘libertad’’ (liberty); 

Whereas the demonstrations in Cuba follow months of severe 

shortages of food and basic medicine, frequent power outages, record high rates of transmission of COVID–19, 

and the Cuban regime’s ineffective response, in addition 

to the Cuban regime’s continued repression and arbitrary 

imprisonment of citizens, peaceful activists, and artists; 

Whereas, despite the authoritarian regime’s blocking of internet service to prevent the spread of information about the 

demonstrations, Cubans witnessed examples of their compatriots demanding change in their country and courageously joined the growing protests; 

Whereas, despite the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, 

Miguel Dı ́az-Canel incited violence among Cubans and 

encouraged his supporters to attack peaceful protestors, 

declaring in a televised address, ‘‘the order to fight has 

been given—into the streets’’ and pledged his supporters’ 

lives: ‘‘Over our dead bodies. We are prepared to do anything’’; 

Whereas Dı ́az-Canel has sought to delegitimize peaceful protesters, crudely stating they constitute a small group of 

‘‘vulgar criminals’’ that are ‘‘paid’’ to be disruptive; 


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SRES 310 ATS 

Whereas Dı ́az-Canel sought to blame the endemic problems 

causing so much human suffering by the Cuban people 

on outside forces instead of on the Cuban regime’s longstanding corruption, mismanagement, and theft of public 

resources; 

Whereas the Cuban regime’s domestic security apparatus, including military and police, were recorded on video violently repressing peaceful Cuban citizens, including by 

using live ammunition and attacking journalists; 

Whereas numerous reports indicate deaths of and injuries to 

Cuban protestors at the hands of the regime’s security 

forces, including instances of police firing live ammunition into crowds and at least one documented police beating that led to a civilian death; 

Whereas independent Cuban civil society groups have reported that hundreds of individuals have been arrested, 

detained, or are missing; 

Whereas defying regime repression, continued internet shutdowns, and illegal searches of the homes of activists and 

protestors, Cuban men, women, and youth continued to 

peacefully protest throughout the island on Monday, July 

12, using social media to organize themselves and document acts of regime repression; 

Whereas international human rights groups, including 

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United 

Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human 

Rights, and the Inter-American Commission on Human 

Rights, have long condemned the Cuban regime for violating human rights and fundamental freedoms; and 

Whereas for years the Cuban regime has exported its authoritarian methods to Venezuela, sending intelligence perVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:44 Aug 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR310.ATS SR310

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SRES 310 ATS 

sonnel to assist Venezuelan security forces as they repressed similar peaceful protests calling for democratic 

change: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, 

2 That the Senate— 

3

4 (1) expresses its strong solidarity with the peo5 ple of Cuba in their desire to live in a free and 

6 democratic country with uncensored access to infor7 mation, justice, and economic prosperity; 

8 (2) condemns the violence ordered by Miguel 

9 Dı ́az-Canel against peaceful protesters as violations 

10 of internationally recognized human rights that does 

11 nothing to address Cuba’s challenges; 

12 (3) calls on Cuban forces— 

13 (A) to respect the Cuban people’s exercise 

14 of freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, 

15 and other universal human rights; 

16 (B) to refrain from restricting internet ac17 cess and connectivity in the country; and 

18 (C) to permit Cuban citizens to freely com19 municate on digital platforms, as is their funda20 mental right; 

21 (4) calls for the immediate and unconditional 

22 release of all arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens and 

23 all Cuban political prisoners; 


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SRES 310 ATS 

1 (5) calls on members of the Cuban Revolu2 tionary Armed Forces, the Cuban Ministry of the In3 terior, and Cuba’s National Revolutionary Police 

4 Force to refrain from violently repressing peaceful 

5 protesters and committing other human rights viola6 tions; 

7 (6) urges foreign governments, including au8 thoritarian regimes, to halt the provision of tech9 nology, equipment, and other forms of assistance 

10 that are increasing the capability of the Cuban Rev11 olutionary Armed Forces, the Cuban Ministry of the 

12 Interior, and Cuba’s National Revolutionary Police 

13 Force to violently repress peaceful protestors, curtail 

14 freedom of expression through censorship of the 

15 internet, and commit other human rights abuses; 

16 and 

17 (7) urges democratic governments and legisla18 tures in Europe, Latin America, and the Carib19 bean— 

20 (A) to pledge their support for freedom 

21 and democracy in Cuba; and 

22 (B) to speak out against the repression of 

23 demonstrators in Cuba. 

Æ 


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