Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) wrote U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to request his urgent attention to Cubans fighting for democracy as the regime continues its brutal crackdown on dissent. Her request called for Rubio to quickly intervene to free hundreds of political prisoners wrongfully detained by the Cuban regime since the July 11 protest movement, including renowned Cuban rapper Maykel “Osorbo” Castillo Pérez and visual artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. Tomorrow, July 11th, marks the fourth anniversary of massive pro-democracy protests in Cuba. 

“The Cuban regime has no plans to release Maykel and Luis Manuel, and I have no confidence that rewarding the Cuban dictatorship will significantly improve its despicable record or improve the conditions of ordinary Cubans,” wrote Wasserman Schultz. “Therefore, I request that the Administration take immediate action to push for their release.”

In the letter, Wasserman Schultz asks the State Department to prioritize the immediate release of political prisoners including Maykel and Luis Manuel in any future talks with the regime and commit to strict punitive measures if they remain imprisoned. The letter notes the importance of U.S. support for cases on behalf of imprisoned Cuban dissidents at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), including a petition filed by the South Florida-based Cuban American Bar Association. 

Wasserman Schultz works closely with Amnesty International, Freedom House, and Lantos Commission co-chairs Reps. James McGovern (D-MA) and Christopher Smith (R-NJ) to secure the immediate, unconditional release of these prisoners and raise awareness. In 2021, she sponsored a resolution expressing solidarity with the Cuban people and condemning the regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent, which passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. 

The full letter is here.

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