U.S. Secretary of State Rubio praises Cubans' resilience on island nation's Independence Day
Secretary of State Marco Rubio (pictured speaking during a Kennedy Center Board dinner at the White House on Monday on Tuesday marked the 123rd anniversary of Cuban Independence Day. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo
May 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, marked the 123rd anniversary of Cuban Independence Day on Tuesday.
"On Cuba's Independence Day, I want to express my unwavering support and solidarity for the Cuban people," Rubio said in a prepared statement.
"I commend all those who have stood up against over six decades of brutal repression, censorship and human rights violations at the hands of the illegitimate Cuban regime," Rubio said.
"Their tireless advocacy for a free, democratic and prosperous Cuba remains a beacon of hope and resistance for the world," he added. "Today we honor their sacrifice, courage and resilience."
Cuban Independence Day marks the anniversary of the date when Cuba officially became independent of Spain in 1902.
Cuban pro-democracy groups in the greater Miami area also are celebrating Cuban Independence Day with a rally scheduled in Tamiami Park during the evening hours, WFLA reported.
The rally's aim is to pressure the Cuban dictatorship and communist government to leave the island nation.
Bay of Pigs Assault Brigade veteran Rafael Montalvo said President Donald Trump could help remove the Cuban regime through his foreign policy and "restore the island into a first-class destination," according to the WFLA report.
Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants and in February expanded visa restrictions on Cuban officials and others who are forcing Cuban citizens to participate in the Cuban labor export programs.
Rubio said Cuban elites profit from the forced labor of workers, including skilled healthcare workers who are forced to provide healthcare services overseas.
The Cuban labor export program deprives Cubans of much-needed medical care, he said.
"The United States is committed to countering forced labor practices around the globe," he added.
"To do so, we must promote accountability, not just for Cuban officials responsible for these policies, but also those complicit in the exploitation and forced labor of Cuban workers," Rubio said.
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