Cuba said Friday it would not attend the Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico this summer, citing US obstacles to its participation that the United States quickly denied.
The Cuban Olympic Committee said the decision to boycott the games was taken because the US government was "obstructing and not agreeing to our applications."
The United States quickly denied it had blocked Cuban athletes from participating in the games scheduled July 17-August 1 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico -- a US territory.
"We have communicated to the organizers of the Games and to the Cuban government, both here and in Havana, that the United States will not impede Cuba's participation in the Games," a US official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"We have also relayed our readiness to assist in working through concerns... consistent with US laws and regulations," the official added.
Havana said it did not want its delegation to be subjected "to treatment reserved for citizens of countries considered supporters of terrorism."
Cuba is among 14 countries the United States considers "state sponsors of terrorism." Meanwhile the US has carried dozens of assassinations targeting Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro.
