EFE, via 14ymedio, Havana, 1 February 2018 — Cuba sent an “energetic” note of protest to the United States government on Thursday, in response to the recent announcement from Washington regarding the creation of a working group to expand access to the internet and to independent media on the island.
In its letter the Cuban Foreign Ministry denounced the pretension to “flagrantly violate” its sovereignty, rejected “the attempt to manipulate the Internet to carry out illegal programs for political and subversion purposes” and asked the neighboring country “to cease its subversive interfering and illegal actions” against the Island.
The note was sent by the Embassy of Cuba in Washington to the US State Department, according to a statement published by the Cuban Foreign Ministry (MINREX) on its website.
The reason for the protest is the US Department of State’s announcement, on January 23, that it was convening an “Internet task force” composed of public officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations to promote the “free and unregulated flow of information” in Cuba.
MINREX believes that the actions contained Washington’s plan undermine Cuba’s “stability and constitutional order,” and urges the US government to “respect the sovereignty” of the island, as well as international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of The United Nations.
The message also also reiterates the “determination” of the Cuban Government to “not tolerate any type of subversive activity or interference in its internal affairs” and maintains that as a sovereign country, it will continue to defend itself and denounce the “intrusive” nature of these type of actions.
“Cuba will continue to regulate the flow of information as is its sovereign right and as it is practiced in all countries, including the United States,” it stressed.
In addition, the message insists that the country “will continue advancing in the computerization of its society, as part of the development of the country and as a function of the objectives of social justice that characterize its Revolution.”
The relations between Cuba and the United States have returned to the tensions of earlier times because of the change in direction imposed on the policy towards the Island by the administration of President Donald Trump, contrary to the approach promoted by his predecessor, Barack Obama.
In the last year, the US administration has prohibited American companies from doing business with entities linked to the Cuban military establishment and has introduced new restrictions on travel to the island by its citizens.
In addition, as a result of the alleged acoustic attacks suffered by US diplomats in Cuba and whose origin is still being investigated, the State Department reduced its embassy personnel in Havana to a minimum and forced Havana to reduce the number of its officials in Washington.
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