HeMinistry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) of Cuba issued this Monday aDeclaration in which he denied any link to sending young people to the Ukrainian war, although he admitted that theMinisterio del Interior (MININT) attempts to dismantle a human trafficking network for military recruitment purposes that operates from Russia.
“The Ministry of the Interior detected and is working on the neutralization and dismantling of ahuman trafficking network that operates from Russia to incorporate Cuban citizens living there, and even some from Cuba, to the military forces participating in war operations in Ukraine,” states the official note.
Without giving other details about the cases to which it refers, the statement says that already"Attempts of this nature have been neutralized and criminal proceedings have been initiated against people involved in these activities."
In addition to denying its alleged relationship with the recruitment of Cubans to send them to war in Ukraine, as expected the Cuban Government accused its "enemies" of promoting "distorted information," in reference to the complaints published in recent days. oftwo young Cubans who remain held in Russian territory and without documents.
"Cuba's enemies promote distorted information that seeks to tarnish the country's image and present it as an accomplice in these actions, which we categorically reject," said MINREX; which ensures that "Cuba has a firm and clear historical position against mercenarismand plays an active role in the United Nations in repudiation of that practice.
"Cuba is not part of the war conflict in Ukraine."It is acting and will act vigorously against whoever, from the national territory, participates in any form of human trafficking for the purposes of recruitment or mercenarism so that Cuban citizens use weapons against any country," the regime concluded.
The statement did not make reference to whether it maintains any type of dialogue with the Russian Government about the possible repatriation of Cuban victims.of what MINREX itself describes as a “human trafficking network.”
Last week, young Cubans Andorf Velázquez García and Alex Vegas Díaz reported having been deceived and sent to Russia as recruits to participate in the invasion of Ukraine. Both were hospitalized in a Russian city, stripped of their documentation and prevented from returning to the island.
In recent days the parents of the young Cubans who were recruited in Russiathrough a contract that they denounce as a “scam”, offered new statements toAméricaTevé in which they confirmed the irregularities reported by their children.
Mario Velazquez, father ofAndorf Antonio Velázquez García, andCary Diaz, mother ofAlex Rolando Vega Díaz They reaffirmed their version that the 19-year-olds were scammed by two unknown women - a Russian woman and another Cuban - whoThey contacted them online.
The father, who now resides in Mexico, said contact with his son had taken place approximately two months ago.
“I left Cuba on July 27 and my son had already left for Russia.But at no time was it said that they were going to war. That was never said. They were going to serve, some construction work, trenches… but at no time were they told that they were going to war,” Velázquez García's father said desperately.
Asked if the Cuban government knows about his son's case, Velázquez assured that it does, taking into account the control it exercises over its citizens, especially those of military age.
Last Friday, while they were being transferred from the hospital where they were back to the Russian military base,the young people acknowledged “being afraid” and not being able to sleep for fear of being sent to combat zones.
On May 16, Vladimir Putin announced that he would grant express Russian citizenship to foreigners who join the Russian Army during the war in Ukraine, a measure that could also benefit the direct relatives of the conscripts.
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