Activist Carolina Barrero meets with Eamon Gilmore before her trip to Cuba

The Cuban activistCarolina Barrero met this Tuesday in Brussels with the Special Representative for Human Rights of theEuropean Union (EU), Eamon Gilmore, before his trip to Havana scheduled for the end of November.

“We talked about the situation of thepolitical prisoners and persecuted", of the harassment of their families, of the forms of torture and degrading treatment to which they are systematically subjected, of the lack of access to a fair and independent defense of the State, of the criminalization of civil rights and political participation," he said. Barrero through social networks.

After the visit in May of the head of diplomacy of the European bloc,Joseph Borrell declared that he would send Gilmoreto co-chair the next EU Human Rights Dialogue with Cuba, to be held next November.

This Tuesday, in the Belgian capital, Barrero conveyed to Gilmore “the concern about human trafficking networks with the participation of the regime, which includesending Cuban fighters to Russia and medical missions.”

In May, during a meeting with the governorMiguel Diaz-Canel, Borrell conveyed the position of the countries of the European bloc regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “I have reiterated our clear position on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine”said the High Representative of European Foreign Policy.

However, despite the position of the European partners, at the end of August the news of the presence of Cuban mercenaries in Ukraine was revealed,with details of a well organized plot that many experts related to the interests of the Cuban regime. However, Havana denied it and declared its intention to persecute and punish the guilty.

“We welcome allthe efforts made by Cuba to put an end to these practices"said the spokesperson for the High Representative in mid-September, accepting the statements in that regard expressed by the Cuban Foreign Ministry as valid.

This Tuesday, the digital mediaInform Napalm cited Ukrainian hackers from the Cyber Resistance group who provided evidence proving the hiring of more Cuban mercenaries by the Russian Armed Forces.

At least 59 more Cuban mercenaries have arrived in Russian territory in recent weeks to sign a contract and three of them are already in active service as part of the army, they indicated. The new revelations would refute statements by Cuban authorities about the “blockade” of the mercenary supply channel to Russia.

"We do not see any measures taken by the Cuban Government to actually fight against mercenaries and attempts to bring participants to justice. The Cuban Government does not even block the channels of transferring funds to established mercenaries. There is also no evidence yet that Cuba has initiated criminal proceedings against already identified mercenaries," observed Inform Napalm.

"Consequently, when the Cuban ambassador in Moscow said that his Governmentwas not opposed to the participation of its citizens in the war against Ukraine, was probably more frank than the Cuban Foreign Ministry, whichwas quick to refute this claim"added the digital medium.

In addition to this important issue, Barrero spoke with Gilmore about “political violence against women and deep inequalities based on race,” as well as the “right to return, the right of many to leave, and the limitations on freedom.” of movement that ultimately the regime uses as punishment against those who raise their voices.”

“We hope that your visit will be an opportunity for the European Union to explicitly express its support for those who suffer oppression and fight every day for a Cuba without dictatorship, just and free, where the cult of human dignity is the first law.” , Barrero concluded in his statement after the meeting.

At the end of his visit to Cuba, Borrell stated that Gilmore's visit would serve to "analyze the situation created before, during and after the demonstrations and arrests" carried out by the Cuban regime afterthe historic protests of July 11, 2021.

Shortly after and in the face of Borrell's tepidity in Havana, the Vice President of the European Parliament and other MEPsThey asked for the suspension of the EU Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba.

"It is time to suspend our Agreement with Cuba and say 'we are going to support civil society, the Cubans on their path towards democracy,'" he claimed.Dita Charanzová.