Havana ? The new chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana honored several of the island’s leading dissidents and opposition groups Saturday in a polite but tough speech that said Cuba is out of step with the world’s shift toward democracy.

In his first major address, Michael Parmly marked the 57th anniversary of the United Nations’ adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by lauding Cubans who struggle for greater human rights.

Parmly said the Cuban government maintains its grip on power by isolating Cubans from the rest of the world, keeping Cubans artificially poor and instilling fear.

Cuba denies those charges. In a recent speech, President Fidel Castro said that during the country’s 46 years of revolution, “not one man has been tortured.”

The new section chief’s support drew praise from opposition leaders, who said it was important to focus on the need for more human rights in Cuba.

Parmly said there are more than 300 political prisoners in Cuba, such as Oscar Biscet, jailed for daring to call for democratic elections and respect for human rights.