Title: 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.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution recognizes and expresses support for efforts to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 534 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 534

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2021

  Ms. Wasserman Schultz (for herself, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Sires, Ms. 
   Castor of Florida, Mr. Crist, Mrs. Demings, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Lois 
 Frankel of Florida, Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. 
McCaul, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Soto, Ms. 
   Wilson of Florida, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Mooney, and Miss Gonzalez-
 Colon) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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, 
        fundamental freedoms, and the end of the dictatorship in Cuba;
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 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 Diaz-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 Diaz-Canel has sought to delegitimize peaceful protesters, crudely 
        stating they constitute a small group of ``vulgar criminals'' that are 
        ``paid'' to be disruptive;
Whereas Diaz-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 long-standing 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 personnel to assist Venezuelan security 
        forces as they repressed similar peaceful protests calling for 
        democratic change: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its strong solidarity with the people of Cuba 
        in their desire to live in a free and democratic country with 
        uncensored access to information, justice, and economic 
        prosperity;
            (2) condemns the violence ordered by Miguel Diaz-Canel 
        against peaceful protesters as violations of internationally 
        recognized human rights that does nothing to address Cuba's 
        challenges;
            (3) calls on Cuban security forces--
                    (A) to respect the Cuban people's exercise of 
                freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and other 
                universal human rights;
                    (B) to refrain from restricting internet access and 
                connectivity in the country; and
                    (C) to permit Cuban citizens to freely communicate 
                on digital platforms, as is their fundamental right;
            (4) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of 
        all arbitrarily detained Cuban citizens and all Cuban political 
        prisoners;
            (5) calls on members of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed 
        Forces, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, and Cuba's National 
        Revolutionary Police Force to refrain from violently repressing 
        peaceful protesters and committing other human rights 
        violations; and
            (6) urges democratic governments and legislatures in 
        Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean--
                    (A) to pledge their support for freedom and 
                democracy in Cuba; and
                    (B) to speak out against the repression of 
                demonstrators in Cuba.
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