The Spanish Foreign Ministry demands the release of Camila Acosta, a correspondent with Spain's ABC daily, who was detained in Cuba, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2021) The Spanish Foreign Ministry demands the release of Camila Acosta, a correspondent with Spain's ABC daily, who was detained in Cuba, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Tuesday.
"Spain defends the right to demonstrate freely and peacefully and asks the Cuban authorities to respect it ...We demand the immediate release of Camila Acosta," Albares wrote on Twitter.
Acosta was detained on Monday in Havana, where on the eve she covered the ongoing protests.
"If the Cuban regime does not change its mind or the world does not make it change its mind, blood will be shed, because the Cuban people loudly declared that they have lost their fear. It's time to put pressure on them to relinquish power. If we give in now, we will have many more years of dictatorship," Acosta said on Twitter on Monday.
Cuban police searched her apartment, seizing equipment, including a personal computer, ABC reported. According to the newspaper, she was charged with crimes against state security. In total, about 20 journalists have been detained in Cuba.
"The detention of the ABC correspondent in Cuba, Camila Acosta, as well as of her other colleagues, who are only exercising their right and duty to inform, is absolutely unacceptable," the newspaper said in a statement, demanding her immediate release, the withdrawal of all charges and the return of the seized materials and equipment.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Spanish Foreign Ministry called on the Cuban authorities to speed up reforms and offered help to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic.
On Sunday, Cuba witnessed the largest protests since 1994, fueled by anger over shortages of basic goods. Thousands of people demanded free elections and the resolution of social issues. Demonstrations took place in 10 out of 168 municipalities of the country. In response, government and ruling Communist Party supporters held their own marches, following President Miguel Diaz-Canel's calls to take to the streets and fight back.
