Cuba: Church leaders denounce government threats to destroy church

Leaders of the Apostolic Movement, a fast-growing unregistered network of Protestant churches, have condemned threats by government officials to destroy church property in the central Cuban city of Camaguey. They are also calling on the government to cease its harassment of relatives of church members.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Pastor Bernardo de Quesada, a national leader of the church group, has publicly denounced an order from the Provincial Ministry of Housing that he and his wife demolish an outdoor covered patio, used by the church for meetings.

Pastor de Quesada pointed out that this demand, made by housing official Leonel del Risco Franco, directly contradicts written permission for construction of the patio issued by another government agency, which added that "permission for this type of construction is not necessary".

Church leaders also complained that the Cuban government is targeting the family members of its leaders, some of whom are not otherwise associated with the religious group. Read more