The army against hunger. That was the Cuban regime's response to the protests of hundreds of demonstrators against the lack of food and fuel that is brutally hitting the island's population. Citizens who came out on Saturday night to protest against high prices, shortages of basic products and calling for the end of communism in Cuba were beaten and detained by the military. The Internet was cut off to prevent any dissemination of the events. The authorities launched a campaign the following day on networks trying to create an image of normality and denying the repression.
🚨URGENTGE #CUBA: Exigimos que se respete el derecho de los ciudadanos a protestar pacíficamente, condenamos cualquier tipo de represión o de mecanismo para invisibilizar los reclamos del pueblo. Exigimos al Partido Comunista los cambios políticos, económicos y sociales que el… pic.twitter.com/ZY7ghi1Q16
— Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (@observacuba) May 7, 2023
Complaints from human rights organizations
The protests and repression by members of the Armed Forces in Caimanera (Guantanamo), were recorded and shared on networks by some of the protesters before the internet was cut off. Human Rights organizations condemned the regime's violence and demanded that Miguel Díaz-Canel listen to the people and undertake "the political, economic and social changes that the country needs."
1/#Cuba 🇨🇺🇨🇺 Familia, estos tres muchachos son algunos de los detenidos por las manifestaciones de ayer en #CaimaneraEnLaCalle. Fueron brutalmente golpeados como sus propias familias cuentan es este video 🧵👇🏻 @CubanetNoticias #PresosDeCastro pic.twitter.com/LMctC50Xyk
— Betty Guerra Perdomo (@BettyGuerraPer1) May 8, 2023
Although the number of protesters detained by the island's security forces is not yet known with any certainty, the networks have been inundated with messages from family members and activists putting faces and names to several of those who disappeared during and after the protests. From the account Justice 11J -created after the brutal repression of the protests of July 11, 2021, which resulted in 297 detainees (according to the communist dictatorship), several deaths and at least 100 disappearances, according to dissident sources- has provided a number for reporting detainees and missing persons after the marches.
U.S. Embassy confirms repression in Cuba
Anoche, las fuerzas de seguridad cubanas respondieron violentamente a las protestas pacíficas en la localidad de Caimanera, golpeando a ciudadanos por reclamar derechos humanos. Cuba también cerró su Internet por miedo a la libertad de expresión. La represión cubana de los… pic.twitter.com/Ga2MUnKNzR
— Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Cuba (@USEmbCuba) May 7, 2023
The U.S. Embassy in Havana also denounced the incident. In a statement, in Spanish, the official account denounced the violent response of Cuban security forces and the closure of the Internet "for fear of freedom of expression." The embassy also warned the communist regime that its repression "is cruel and useless" because "freedom always wins."
Hunger and shortages of basic commodities
El Programa Mundial de Alimentos dice que "los cubanos entre 14 y 60 años en la Isla solo ingieren diariamente el 24% de las proteínas necesarias, el 36% de la energía y el 18% de las grasas que necesitan"
El 31,6% de los niños sufre de anemia
El 70% del alimento, debe importarse pic.twitter.com/lvhkjEpz67— Nacho Montes de Oca (@nachomdeo) May 7, 2023
The situation for the population is desperate at this time. The communist dictatorship has proven incapable of even alleviating the situation of famine and hyperinflation suffered by the population. The situation has reached the point that the island's authorities have limited the consumption of chicken by the population due to shortages and high prices. Only children under 13 years of age may obtain one quarter of this bird per month.
La dictadura cubana acaba de anunciar la limitación del consumo de pollo a toda la población por la escasez de alimentos. Solo podrán acceder a un cuarto de pollo para todo el mes los menores de 13 años. El problema del hambre en Cuba se está volviendo cada vez más grave. pic.twitter.com/80zKqLM9qb
— Agustín Antonetti (@agusantonetti) May 2, 2023
