Cuba has re-arrested two dissidents, highlighting President Obama’s flawed plan to normalize relations with the country, a GOP lawmaker said Friday.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.) criticized the arrests of Rolando Reyes Rabanal and Luis Enrique Labrador, who were among 53 political prisoners released by the Castro regime as part of an effort to improve ties with the United States.
{mosads}The two were arrested while attempting to join a pro-democracy meeting of the Movement for a New Republic, Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) said, citing news reports.
He argued that the arrests shows the United States cannot trust the Cuban government to stick with any reforms or to move toward Democracy.
“When the Castro regime re-arrests political prisoners after the president ‘negotiated’ their release, it makes a mockery of the entire bad deal,” Diaz-Balart said.
He said Obama must demand the permanent release of all political prisoners.
The news comes as new regulations to relax trade and travel rules begin to take effect Friday.
The State Department said it was “deeply concerned” on reports of a crackdown on critics of the Cuban government last month after the U.S. had announced its controversial move to normalize relations.