HAVANA, (Reuters) – Cuban police detained about 50 people when a predominantly Roman Catholic dissident group led a march in Havana yesterday, less than a week before Pope Francis visits the communist-ruled country.
Such detentions have become common following regular Sunday marches by the Ladies in White, a group that has criticized the Roman Catholic Church and Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega for failing to advocate on its behalf with the Cuban government.
Ladies in White leader Berta Soler told Reuters the women planned to attend masses that Pope Francis will lead in Havana and Holguin while in Cuba from Sept. 19-22. The pope will also visit Santiago de Cuba.
“I would discuss with the pope the need to stop police violence against those who exercise their freedom to demonstrate in public,” Soler said.
