State Dept. - Cuban detentions won't slow normalization

State Dept.: Cuban detentions won't slow normalization
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON
The State Department says it was concerned about the beating of a
political activist and the detention of another 100 activists by Cuban
authorities last weekend, but says the incident will not change the
process of normalizing diplomatic relations with the island nation.

Spokesman John Kirby says the United States will always be "vocal and
very candid" about human rights abuses.

But he says the incidents won't slow the normalizing of relations.
Instead, he says they reinforce the need to move forward so that the
U.S. can engage with Cuban authorities on human rights issues.

Cuban political activist Antonio Rodiles said he was trying to join a
weekly march by a dissident group in Havana and was detained and roughed
up by plainclothes state security.

Source: State Dept.: Cuban detentions won't slow normalization | Miami
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