Three Harvard faculty members staged an academic protest over the weekend, reprimanding the State Department for denying visas to a group of Cuban scholars scheduled to attend a Latin American studies conference in Las Vegas.

In lieu of the Cuban scholars, 65 empty chairs adorned a conference room on Friday night in a forum titled “Academic Freedom and Scholarly Exchange with Cuba” to protest the decision.

The idea for a protest was conceived by three Harvard participants—John H. Coatsworth, director of Harvard’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies; Jorge I. Domínguez, director of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs; and Lorena G. Barberia, a Rockefeller program associate.

The Cuban researchers, writers and editors were slated to discuss The Cuban Economy at the Start of the 21st Century, a new book on the Cuban economy that will be published by the Rockefeller Center in November. But the forum was abruptly canceled after a last-minute decision by the State Department to deny visas to all 65 of the Cubans.

“We want to make sure all scholars understand the serious consequences of this decision,” said Coatsworth, who led the forum along with Domínguez and Barberia. “The only people really disadvantaged, in a way, are scholars in the U.S., who need to know something about Cuba and who will suffer from this isolation.”

The State Department defended its action in a press conference on Thursday, where spokesman Richard A. Boucher raised doubt about the motives of the Cubans who were scheduled to attend.

“It’s the State Department’s view...that Cuban officials and the Cuban regime needs to feel the pressure of our disdain for that regime,” Boucher said at the press conference. “We just felt it wasn’t appropriate for this many Cuban government officials, ‘academics,’ to come to a conference to spout party line.”

Supporters of the protest were quick to denounce the State Department’s comments.

“It’s a lie and the State Department knows it’s a lie,” said Coatsworth. “Harvard does not publish propaganda—we publish first-rate material.”

“I’ve worked for over five years with the scholars. I know their work,” said Barberia, who is one of three editors of the book. “I defend their right not to be censored.”

Also in attendance was Steven C. Schwadron, chief of staff to Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., who is co-chairman of a congressional committee that is examining ways to reduce or eliminate the Cuban embargo.

“This decision has most everything to do with presidential politics in south Florida,” Schwadron said.

Taylor S. Gross, a White House spokesman, declined to comment on the decision but said that the president has taken multiple measures to “bring democracy and an end to the Cuban regime,” including creating a commission dedicated to “a free Cuba.”

At Harvard, a Rockefeller Center seminar to discuss the book has been canceled, and five of the scholars are still seeking visa approval from the State Department to conduct short-term research visits at several Harvard graduate schools, Barberia said.

Prior to a similar conference last year, discussions involving the State Department, congressional leaders and Harvard led to the eventual approval of visas for most of the Cuban academics, Coatsworth said. This year, however, the conference organizers worked directly with the State Department and a decision was not rendered until Oct. 1, he said.

Harvard scholars said they plan to continue to work with the State Department to reach some sort of agreement for future conferences.

“It’s our strong hope that the situation improves and that this is not a permanent policy,” Barberia said.