Cuba Detains 70 White Dames Before the Arrival of the Pope

The White Dames

Cuban security forces have arrested 70 members of the dissident group “White Dames”, including their leader, Berta Soler. The operative occurred in different places of the country. In La Habana, 18 women that participated in the common march of Sunday to demand the release of political prisoners were surrounded and evacuated in buses.

Magaly Norvis Otero Suarez, a spokesperson of the “White Dames” explained that 16 members of the group were detained during Saturday night when they tried to protest in the center of La Habana. The group of Berta Soler was apprehended when they were heading to the Sunday mass.

Berta Soler, the current leader of the “White Dames” has expressed her desire to meet with her group and the Pope Benedict XVI to talk about the human rights in Cuba. The Pope is scheduled to visit Cuba on March 26, 27 and 28. (AV)