Families of jailed Cuban protesters blocked from meeting US officials over detentions
The families of jailed Cuban protesters sought to meet with US officials this week to secure meetings with President Obama.
The US has granted them permission to meet with the leader of Cuba, the White House said. The families, however, rejected the offer.
The families said the meeting would have been a propaganda stunt, according to The Associated Press.
A group of protesters detained by the Cuban government have been waiting for two weeks to see US officials, reports said.
In August, President Barack Obama and Cuban officials met in Miami to talk about how to end the detentions and provide a better human rights program in Cuba.
The families of those detained are protesting the conditions and alleged torture in jail. The protests have made news in the US, with one woman’s son arrested after trying to take a picture of the president and another in the White House, where he was held on illegal pretense.
“The families have been repeatedly denied access to see Mr. Obama,” the White House said in a statement on Tuesday. “His administration will continue to follow its own policies regarding Cuba.”