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NEWS
WASHINGTON
Bush blasts nations
that disregard Cuban abuses
Posted on
Sat, Mar. 08, 2008
By PABLO BACHELET
pbachelet@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Friday blasted countries for keeping
quiet on abuses in Cuba at an event commemorating the fifth anniversary
of the spring 2003 crackdown on anti-government activists.
Bush praised what he called a ''small band of brave nations'' that have
''consistently'' condemned abuses by Havana: the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
''Unfortunately, the list of countries supporting the Cuban people is
far too short -- and the democracies absent from that list are far too
notable,'' Bush said.
The Bush administration is at odds with Canada and many Latin American
and European nations that believe greater engagement with the Raúl
Castro government will advance human rights more than confrontation.
Bush hosted dissidents Miguel Sigler Amaya and his spouse Josefa López
Peña, a founding member of the Women in White group at the White House.
Both were allowed to leave in 2006. Sigler's two brothers are still
serving long prison terms meted out after the 2003 arrests of activists.
''In Cuba, they're considered outlaws,'' Bush said. ``In America, they
are heralds of freedom and I'm proud to stand with them . . .''
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