The regime blocked a meeting of trade unionists who sought to create a broad and independent coalition

The regime blocked a meeting of trade unionists who sought to create a
broad and independent coalition
DDC | La Habana | 21 de Septiembre de 2016 - 21:47 CEST.

The spokesman for the Independent Trade Union Coalition, Iván Hernández
Carrillo, reported that State Security deployed forces on Tuesday to
thwart a meeting of several trade unionists seeking to unify the
Island's three historic trade unions.

"We had a meeting organized to finalize the details," Hernández Carrillo
told DIARIO DE CUBA.

The meeting, however, could not be held because several activists were
arrested, others besieged in their homes and threatened, and one, at
least, has apparently disappeared, said the union activist

Among those detained was Ariadna Mena Rubio, while another activist,
Aimé Cabrera, "was threatened with arrest if she left her house."

The whereabouts of three activists summoned to the meeting are still
unknown. "Their phones are switched off or without coverage, suggesting
that they may have been arrested, but this has not been confirmed,"
explained Hernández Carrillo.

In the case of Ariadna Mena, said the activist, "her relatives do not
know where they have taken her. She was intercepted after dropping her
daughters off at school." Also detained for four hours was the unionist
Alejandro Sánchez.

The venue where the meeting was to be held was surrounded by
plainclothes police officers.

Hernández Carrillo, meanwhile, explained that he managed to elude the
siege he faced in Matanzas.

The unionist regretted that State Security was able to foil a meeting
whose purpose was to "unite the three organizations and make union work
in Cuba stronger, more solid, and more united."

This unit, he added, "intends to join forces to achieve what we are
looking for: real changes within the Cuban nation, which lead to the
rule of law, and where all workers enjoy rights, including that to
organize freely."

"The political police," said Hernández, "insists that it will not allow
this to happen. We are going to work to achieve our goal."

Source: The regime blocked a meeting of trade unionists who sought to
create a broad and independent coalition | Diario de Cuba -
http://www.diariodecuba.com/derechos-humanos/1474487251_25469.html