US says it is guilty of Cuban charges

PTI Updated - November 03, 2012 at 12:21 PM.

The United States has said that it is “guilty” of the Cuban charges of training dissidents in Internet, a day after Havana accused Washington of helping its opponents access the Internet.

“We are absolutely guilty of those charges. The US Interests Section in Havana does regularly offer free courses in using the Internet to Cubans who want to sign up,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters.

“We also have computers available for Cubans to use.

Obviously, this wouldn’t be necessary if the Cuban Government didn’t restrict access to the Internet and prevent its own citizens from getting technology training,” she said.

“You know how we feel about this. We support freedom of access to information around the world,” she said responding to a question.

“We have been very clear about our support for freedom, human rights, dignity, and change in Cuba for decades now.

We’ve also been very clear that Alan Gross is guilty of nothing and he should be released,” Nuland said.

Earlier in a statement, the Cuban Foreign Ministry in Havana alleged that diplomats at the US Interests Section were “promoting, advising, instructing, training, financing and supplying (government opponents) with diverse media and technology.”

“Diplomats from that office are permanently inciting these people... to undertake provocative actions... and act against the Cuban constitutional order,” it said.

Published on November 3, 2012 06:49