On the morning of Friday, January 3rd, the Cuban government launched a military operation to prevent the Ladies in White and various opponents from delivering toys to children in Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Holguin to mark the Three Kings' Day, which is normally celebrated on January 6th.
"The attitude of the Cuban regime to repress the Ladies in White and human rights activists for attempting to distribute free toys to children contrasts with the attitude of the Cuban Government to sell expensive toys to people in shops set up for that purpose and in order to extract money from the Cuban people," said Moya.
Ex-political prisoner, Angel Moya and his wife Berta Soler, the national representative for the Ladies in White were arrested in Havana. Meanwhile in eastern Santiago, Jose Daniel Ferrer, national coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba Party (UNPACU) was also arrested, along with five other opponents.
"The attitude of the Cuban regime to repress the Ladies in White and human rights activists for attempting to distribute free toys to children contrasts with the attitude of the Cuban Government to sell expensive toys to people in shops set up for that purpose and in order to extract money from the Cuban people," said Moya.
Police entered the Havana headquarters of the Ladies in White and seized toys that were to be delivered to children on Monday. They also took linens and clothing belonging to Laura Pollan, the all-female group's deceased leader.
Laura Labrada, daughter of Pollan, was arrested a few blocks from the headquarters, which already at that time was occupied by the State Security forces. Radio Martí interviewed Labrada shortly after she was released.
Soler said an agent identified as State Security Reinier, showed up at the home of Lady in White, Daisy Ponce Arencibia and read a statement which stated that the Cuban government would not allow "the counter-revolutionaries to perform mercenary activities against the children in Cuba."
Rosa María Nieves, a member of the Ladies in White in Havana, reported the arrest of several activists, adding that the political police took everything they had prepared to give to the children--toys, soft drinks and bread.
On Friday night, José Daniel Ferrer put on his Twitter account (translated from Spanish): "I have just been released. Thanks for global solidarity, the people of Cuba have many friends. Eleven detainees still remain."