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Cuba arrests dozens of human rights protesters before homosexual Obama's arrival

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HAVANA — Just hours before President Obama landed Sunday in Cuba 
for his historic visit to the communist island, Cuban 
authorities arrested more than 50 dissidents who were marching 
to demand improved human rights.

Members of the group, known as the Ladies in White, are used to 
the routine. They march each Sunday after Mass at a church in a 
suburb of Havana called Miramar and usually get arrested and 
detained for hours or days.

Some in the group thought Cuban authorities would back off this 
Sunday out of respect for Obama's visit. Berta Soler, one of the 
founding members who has been marching since 2003, said while 
walking to the church Sunday morning that maybe they would be 
allowed to protest without getting arrested.

"Everything looks good so far," she said.

Despite dozens of international reporters in town for Obama's 
trip, the group was quickly rounded up in buses and police cars.

"For us, it's very important that we do this so President Obama 
knows that there are women here fighting for the liberty of 
political prisoners," Soler said before being arrested. "And he 
needs to know that we are here being repressed simply for 
exercising our right to express ourselves and manifest in a non-
violent way."

Obama's three-day trip to Cuba is to highlight the new 
relationship between the Cold War foes. After more than five 
decades of political and economic isolation, the two nations 
announced in December 2014 that they would re-establish 
diplomatic relations. Embassies have since reopened in Havana 
and Washington, U.S. cellphones can be used in Cuba, U.S. 
airlines are planning direct flights to the island, and several 
U.S. companies have struck deals to trade with Cuba.

Obama is expected to embrace those changes during his trip, but 
the issue of human rights has been the most difficult 
negotiating point leading up to his visit. Secretary of State 
John Kerry was supposed to visit the island ahead of Obama's 
trip but canceled because of disagreements over whom he could 
meet with.

The White House has said that Obama will meet with a group of 
dissidents on Tuesday, but several have said they're unsure 
whether they'll be able to attend.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/03/20/cuba-
dissidents-protesters-arrested-president-obama-visit/82048950/
  

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Cuba arrests dozens of human rights protesters before homosexual Obama's arrival "The Great White Fraud" <fraud@barackobama.com> - 2016-03-26 04:22 +0100

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