Cuban Ambassador Says Evidence Against Pilip, Bubenik Exists

The Cuban government undoubtedly has evidence against deputy Ivan Pilip and Jan Bubenik, who were detained in Cuba on Friday, and will release it at a suitable moment, Cuban charge d'affaires to Prague David Paulovich told journalists today. "We have never accused anybody without evidence," Paulovich said before today's evening meeting with representatives of the Czech Foreign Ministry. The present diplomatic relations between Cuba and the Czech Republic are the worst ever. "The fact that two Czech citizens including one deputy breached Cuban laws will undoubtedly not contribute to their improvement," Paulovich said. He could not answer what sentence the detained could receive or when they could go on trial. Pilip and Bubenik will be brought before court and it is up to it to decide, Paulovich added. Cuba is not afraid of the consequences of its acts, he continued. "Cuba has survived aggressions, almost nuclear attacks and so it does not fear similar things. I think that we have survived almost everything," he said. The Czech side has condemned the fact that the Cuban part has not provided so far any explanation of Pilip's and Bubenik's detention. Deputy Foreign Ministry Hynek Kmonicek said that it was difficult to take any official stand when there was no official statement by the Cuban authorities. The only source of information is an article from the Granma daily, which was handed over to the Czech side. Paulovich said that the article was an official stand of the Cuban government. Granma wrote that Pilip and Bubenik maintained subversive contacts as "U.S. agents" in Cuba and that they would face a trial. Pilip and ex-student activist Bubenik were on a private trip to Cuba when detained.