In a report phoned into to Babalú just moments ago, Jorge Luis Garcia Perez "Antúnez" is reporting that in anticipation of the arrival of President Jimmy Carter, the Castro regime has launched an island-wide crackdown on members of the opposition in Cuba to prevent any public demonstrations. Antúnez says that beginning yesterday, the Castro dictatorship began to arrest and detain democracy activists all over the island that had begun to make their way to Havana to conduct a peaceful protest in front of the capitol building. In addition, several members of the opposition in Havana were brutally assaulted and arrested this morning by Castro security agents when they attempted to mount a peaceful protest in front of the capitol with signs reading "Freedom without Forced Exile for Cuba's Political Prisoners," "The Streets belong to the Cuban People," and "We Are The Resistance."

Antúnez explained that he and his wife were detained in Placetas and not allowed to make their way to Havana.

In his declaration, Antúnez is calling upon Jimmy Carter and the Carter Foundation to intercede on behalf of these detained activists and demand their immediate release and respect for their human rights and right to peacefully protest.

Below is the audio of Antúnez' declaration:

Antunez - 3-28-11(2)