CUBAN REGIME BLOCKS "LADIES" FROM APPROACHING KEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 000272 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017 TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI CU SUBJECT: CUBAN REGIME BLOCKS "LADIES" FROM APPROACHING KEY PLAZA REF: HAVANA 271 HAVANA 00000272 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: COM Michael E. Parmly for Reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Deploying 16 vehicles and dozens of officials, Cuban State Security prevented 20 "Ladies in White" from approaching Revolution Plaza at around 8:30 pm on March 18, the fourth anniversary of the start of the 2003 crackdown. The incident marked the first time in recent memory that the Cuban Government had physically impeded the Ladies' progress, although the regime has on at least one occasion dispatched communist militants to intimidate them. No reporters were on hand to cover the latest incident. The group was not planning to demonstrate at the Plaza, but rather passing nearby en route to one member's home. The Ladies told us they intend to carry out at least two other controversial activities over the next 24 hours, activities that could put them on a collision course with the regime. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Leading Ladies Laura Pollan, Julia Nunez and Bertha Soler told Poloff late on March 19 that the GOC blocked their path late March 18 while they and 17 other Ladies were walking to Pollan's home after attending an evening mass. When they reached within one and a half blocks of the Plaza - ground zero of the Cuban "Revolution" - around 15 marked and unmarked police cars drew near, along with a police bus. At least two dozen people got out of the vehicles, mostly brawny men in plainclothes but also a number of muscular women, limbering up as if to take part in martial arts training. According to the Ladies, a senior State Security official named Samper -- alleged to be the head of Department 21, which oversees Interior Ministry operations against USINT and dissidents - approached on foot and asked to speak with Pollan. Pollan agreed, but only if Soler could come as well. Samper then told the two that the "Damas" would not be allowed to proceed, because an event was taking place in the Plaza. Soler called this a lie, to which Samper allegedly responded, "You know how it is, the country is in a difficult moment." The standoff continued for a few minutes, and then the Ladies told Samper that they were leaving. Pollan said: "We're not going to demonstrate in the Plaza tonight. When we do, you're not going to see it coming." Added Soler: "We're leaving, but not because we have any fear." The Ladies, en masse, then chanted, "Freedom!" and broke into song. WAKEUP CALL -------------- ¶3. (C) Around 7:30 am on March 19, Samper and a female acquaintance appeared at Pollan's house, where she and a dozen other Damas were sleeping. Pollan agreed to meet with him, and heard Samper say that the Ladies would not be allowed to visit Revolution Plaza. Pollan said the group retains the right to visit the Plaza, but offered to stay away in the event that the regime freed the 59 75ers who remain in prison. Pollan added, "We'll keep marching." And, pointing to Samper's friend, a suspected State Security agent: "You'd better go find 700 or 800 more like her and send them to the streets, and they're going to have to kill us, because we will not give up until our husbands are free." Pollan then referred to Samper's statement from the night, asking why, if the country is going through a difficult moment, did the GOC waste gas to send 16 vehicles to block a group of peaceful women. Samper called it a "necessary exercise guarding against invasion." Responded Pollan: "An invasion of the Plaza by the Damas?" MORE ACTIVITIES -------------- ¶4. (C) Pollan told us that (please protect) late evening on March 19, the Ladies planned to march to Havana's Central Park area, hopefully reaching a statue of founding father Jose Marti and releasing a number of doves. She added that (please protect) early on the afternoon of March 20, the Ladies planned to march to Revolution Plaza and demonstrate there. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) By using GOC vehicles and personnel to block the Ladies' path, the regime has upped the stakes in trying to suppress the group, which has received tremendous support HAVANA 00000272 002.2 OF 002 from pedestrians over the past two days, in which they have walked long distances. Now that the GOC has made clear that it will not tolerate any visit to the Cuban Revolution's foremost shrine, a confrontation seems likely between the regime and the Damas on March 20. If it occurs near the Plaza in early afternoon, the incident will be difficult to conceal. PARMLY