Czechs protest against preventing of celebration Czech independence day in Cuba

The Czech Foreign Ministry on Wednesday summoned Cuba's representative in Prague to protest attempts by Cuban authorities to prevent a celebration of Czech independence day in Havana last week attended by Cuban dissidents. The Foreign Ministry summoned the Cuban charge d'affaires in Prague, Ayme Hernandez Quesada, on Wednesday to "strongly protest ... the attempt by Cuban authorities to prevent celebration of the Czech Republic's national holiday in Havana," the ministry said in a statement.

Last Friday, a reception in a luxury hotel in Havana was to be held by the Czech Embassy to celebrate the 1918 founding of Czechoslovakia. But only hours before the beginning of the reception, the hotel said it was canceling the event, the AP reports. The reception was then relocated to Stiegler's residence.

While the reception was attended by foreign diplomats as well as Cuban dissidents, Cuban government officials boycotted it. A.M.