More than 100 anti-government activists were arrested in Cuba on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.
Many of the arrests took place at a weekly march in Havana, a member of the dissident group Ladies in White told the AP. The head of a human rights group in Cuba said that around the country, arrests numbered between 150 and 200.
The arrests prompted concern from Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson, who is the lead U.S. negotiator with the Cuban government.
Concerned about violent silencing of peaceful voices for change in #Cuba. #FreedomOfExpression #HumanRights
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida also released a statement calling on U.S. officials to show their commitment to human rights in Cuba, saying:
It's clear there is zero intent on behalf of the Castro dictatorship to engage in a genuine conversation that centers around bringing freedom to the island's residents. ...
As the U.S. negotiators come face-to-face with Cuba's negotiators later this week, the administration must insist that any future negotiations place democracy, human rights, free expression and the free will of the Cuban people to choose their own leaders through multi-party elections as the highest priority before any more concessions are made to the regime.