The Cuban government said the U.S. is in no position "to lecture us" on human rights abuses following President Donald Trump's announcement Friday that his administration was taking steps to reverse former President Barack Obama's efforts to normalize relations with the island nation, CNN reports.
"We have deep concerns by the respect and the guaranties of the human rights in that country, where there is a large number of cases of murder, brutality and police abuse, particularly against the African Americans," said a statement released by the Cuban government. "The right to live is violated as a result of deaths by firearms."
Trump during his speech in Miami slammed Cuba, saying, "The Castro regime has shipped arms to North Korea and fueled chaos in Venezuela. While imprisoning innocents, it has harbored cop killers, hijackers and terrorists. It has supported human trafficking, forced labor and exploitation all around the globe."
Trump's executive order will enforce strict travel exemptions between the U.S. and Cuba and also prohibit commerce with Cuban businesses owned by the military and intelligence services. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also been charged with convening a task force on expanding internet access on the island.
Havana said Trump's plan would reverse course on progress achieved by both the United States and Cuba.
"The U.S. President, ill-advised once again, takes decisions that favor the political interests of an extremist minority of Cuban origin in the state of Florida, who driven by petty motivation, do not desist from their objective to punish Cuba and its people for exercising the legitimate and sovereign right to be free and for having taken the reins of their own destiny," the statement said.
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