On the recordJuly 22, 2021
Today, Mr. Speaker, I stand with the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom. Today, I ask that the Cuban Government respect basic human rights, basic religious freedoms, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and the freedom to be heard. Today, I ask that the Cuban Government listen to the plight of the Cuban people. Deteriorating living conditions, rising healthcare concerns, COVID- 19, all of these factors have left the Cuban people hungry, vulnerable, and very angry. That is why, after decades of repression, thousands of brave men and women, especially young people, have taken to the streets of Cuba, marching to be heard, demanding that the Cuban Government respond to their pleas for help. Instead, the Cuban Government has responded by halting internet access and beating and arresting Cuban citizens that are calling for freedom. In Havana alone, the Cuban Government has attacked protesters and arrested more than 100 young people. If the Government of Cuba wants to normalize relations with the United States, the first thing the Cuban Government has to do is to respect human rights and religious freedoms. ____________________
