Cuba accuses US of organizing new protest demonstrations

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government says a decision to ban an opposition demonstration won’t hurt its image and is accusing the United States and anti-Castro groups in Florida of instigating next week’s planned march. “Reality is what determines image,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez told The Associated Press on Wednesday when asked about the protest that has been organized and discussed widely on social media. The march scheduled for Monday would coincide with the reopening of the country after 20 months of lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic and with the 502nd anniversary of the founding of Havana. Organizers of the protect had asked for authorization to hold the march but were denied and are now urging people to take to the streets anyway.