A senior US congressman has asked the new Labour government to rethink financial aid to Cuba due to concerns that the regime is supplying troops to Vladimir Putin to fight in Ukraine.
Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, who represents a district in Florida and is the son of Cuban exiles, has told The Independent that he has seen security documents showing that "a substantial number" of Cubans have been sent to fight for Russia.
He wants the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, to help change Britain's policy and persuade EU allies to do the same. Previous reports suggested 200 Cubans had been sent to fight in the Russian army but this figure is understood to have increased.
Mr Diaz-Balart, whose aunt was Fidel Castro's first wife, has appealed to Mr Lammy to rethink Britain's involvement in the Paris Club, which has forgiven billions in debt to the communist regime now headed by Miguel Diaz-Canel. The UK also gave more than £25m in development aid to Cuba between 2010 and 2022.
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