Cuban Ambassador to Slovakia, David Paulovich Escalona, told a news conference on Tuesday that one cannot speak of activists Ivana Kullova and Peter Novotny as common citizens of the Slovak Republic, but only as Slovak citizens who serve American organizations. They are friends of the U.S. and therefore enemies of Cuba. He specified that these people definitely do not cover the costs of their Cuban trips from their own pockets, as Americans have huge funds just for that purpose. Mr. Escalona's meeting with the press was marked by the upcoming elections in Cuba on January 20. The ambassador mentioned the two Slovak activists in association with an anti-Cuban pre-election campaign. He said that Ms. Kullova of the People in Peril NGO and Mr. Novotny of the Civic Eye Association, who were expelled from Cuba recently, are part of the economic, commercial and ideological war against Cuba.
Mr. Escalona also said that people like Ms. Kullova and Mr. Novotny do not go to Cuba to help, but are part of the American war against his country. It would be quite ridiculous for Americans to go to Cuba to instruct people on how to vote or for whom to vote; therefore, they recruit volunteers in Europe, who call themselves teachers and are expected to instruct Cubans to vote in ways that would result in the collapse of the government. The ambassador said that Ms. Kullova and Mr. Novotny are not workers or doctors, but people who live from politics and are linked with pro-American organizations. Though they received tourist visas, they did not go to Cuba to enjoy the sea, but to develop other activities.
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