US Sanctions Two Top Cuban Police Officials For Suppressing Protests

US Sanctions Two Top Cuban Police Officials For Suppressing Protests

The US Treasury announced sanctions Friday on two top Cuban police officials as well as the country's entire National Revolutionary Police for their roles in suppressing anti-government demonstrations that began July 11.

The Treasury named NRP Director Oscar Callejas Valcarce and Deputy Director Eddy Sierra Arias to its sanctions blacklist, which freezes any property they might have in the United States, and bars US transactions with them.

"The Treasury Department will continue to designate and call out by name those who facilitate the Cuban regime's involvement in serious human rights abuse," said Andrea Gacki, the director of the Treasury's main sanctions unit, the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

"Today's action serves to further hold accountable those responsible for suppressing the Cuban people's calls for freedom and respect for human rights," Gacki said.


On July 11 and 12, thousands of Cubans took to the streets, shouting "Freedom," "Down with the dictatorship" and "We're hungry" in the biggest protests since the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959.

Independent observers and activists say at least 600 people were arrested in Cuba for protesting, many of whom remain behind bars Independent observers and activists say at least 600 people were arrested in Cuba for protesting, many of whom remain behind bars Photo: AFP / ADALBERTO ROQUE

Hundreds of people were arrested and many face charges of contempt, public disorder, vandalism and propagation of the coronavirus pandemic for allegedly marching without face masks.

On July 24 a government official said about 60 Cubans had been prosecuted for participating in the demonstrations.


The Treasury said the NRP was the main unit of the Interior Ministry deployed to stifle the demonstrations, responsible for beating a number of peaceful protestors, according to a Treasury statement.

On Thursday the European Union called on Cuba to release people arrested "arbitrarily" during the protests.

"We are very concerned about the repression of these protests, as well as for the arrest of protesters and journalists," the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.

"We urge (the Cuban government) to release all arbitrarily detained protesters, to listen to the voices of its citizens, and to engage in an inclusive dialogue on their grievances."