Cuba revokes accreditations for journalists working for EFE

Cuban authorities revoked the credentials of five journalists from the Spanish news agency EFE, but later reinstated two of them. 

In a phone call to the head of the Cuban Embassy in Madrid on Sunday, Spain's secretary of state for Latin America and the Caribbean Juan Fernandez Trigo demanded that Havana return the credentials to the three other journalists from EFE.

Cuba's government's decision to reinstate the accreditation of two journalists is "insufficient," said Gabriela Caas, president of EFE, and demanded that all three journalists' accreditations also be reinstated.

The Spanish secretary of state spoke with the Cuban ambassador in Madrid by telephone on Sunday after the diplomat sent the Spanish government a medical certificate proving he had tested positive for COVID-19 and could not attend a meeting in person at the Spanish Foreign Ministry on Monday.

Currently, Cuba does not have an ambassador in Madrid.

EFE's spokesperson said the Cuban government had not given a reason for the withdrawal of accreditations.

On Monday, opposition groups marched to demand greater political freedoms and the release of jailed activists. A nationwide demonstration in July was a response to anger over the economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic on the communist-ruled island.

Cuba's government banned the march, saying it was part of a destabilization.

U.S. officials believe the Cuban government withdrew the credentials of journalists from the EFE Agency in Havana to prevent them from having their international image tainted by Monday's protests.

* This article contained information that was sourced from Reuters.