Animal‑welfare group in Cuba reports police citations and pressure from state security
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Summary
Bienestar Animal Cuba said state authorities have cited more than 60 members and applied pressure across provinces, alleging investigations for fraud and effort to obtain information to justify closing the NGO; the group warned it may stage a march if authorities do not act on animal‑abuse complaints.
Bienestar Animal Cuba, a volunteer network focused on rescuing and protecting animals, told Martinoticias that it has faced harassment and legal pressure from state authorities, the bulletin reported. President Javier Larrea described multiple citations and closures of local operations in several provinces and said more than 60 members had been summoned in recent days.
In an interview reported by Yolanda Huerga, Larrea said the organization has long been targeted by the state because it is independent and outspoken. He asserted the authorities had questioned members about alleged fraud or financial coercion as a pretext to dismantle the group. One member interviewed asked not to be identified when describing the pressure and said the group’s operations had been disrupted by repeated summonses.
The bulletin said Bienestar Animal Cuba’s board — citing broad member support — considered staging a protest if authorities did not pursue stricter sanctions against animal abusers, and that the organization had adopted measures to protect members amid what it described as an effort to collect sensitive information to justify legal action.
The report did not include a response from Cuban authorities to these allegations.
