Aryanews- Cuban President Raul Castro has accused the US and European Union of launching a "ferocious" media campaign against the island nation following the death of hunger-striking dissident Orlando Zapata.
But his country would never give in to blackmail, the Cuban leader told a congress of the Young Communist League on Sunday.
Zapata died on February 23 after an 83-day hunger strike.
The media campaign, which Castro deemed to be the worst in 50 years, was being organised, managed and financed by the "imperialist power centres in the US and Europe, where the human rights flag is being hypocritically hoisted," he said.
"We will never let ourselves be blackmailed by a country or a block (of countries), as powerful as they may be, come what may," he added. "We have the right to defend ourselves."
Castro said the death of the 42-year-old was regrettable, but spoke of a cynical manipulation of the case given Zapata's multiple criminal convictions.
The only people to profit from his death were those who were pushing for the ongoing 40-day hunger strike of Guillermo Farinas, the Cuban leader said. The 48-year-old Farinas is demanding the release of 26 alleged political prisoners.
Guillermo is also behind bars because of general criminal actions, Castro said.