July 11 in Cuba: repression continues

The memory of the massive protests that shook Cuba from July 11, 2021 until July 17, 2021 is still fresh in the collective memory of the world. The demonstrations shook about 50 localities of the island, leaving a balance of one person dead and more than 1300 arrests according to the Miami-based NGO Cubalex. The tyranny reported that 790 prisoners were indicted and 488 received final sentences, most of them allegedly under the crime of sedition with sentences of up to 25 years in prison.

Despite all efforts, the Cuban dictatorship remains entrenched in power, being one of the totalitarian regimes in history that has brought more misery and repression to its inhabitants.

The anti-government protests, which are considered the largest in decades on the island, were held to the cry of "We are hungry!" and "Freedom!" . The demonstrators were totally neutralized by the repressive apparatus managed by militants of the Communist Party of Cuba, who were guarded by one of the largest anti-riot operations ever known on Cuban soil. At that time, change was imminent for many; however Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel ignored the will of the people.

Unfair Sentences

Walnier Luis, a young man of only 21 years of age, was one of those sentenced to 23 years in prison for sedition. His father, Luis Aguilar, said that "it is a disproportionate sentence, and we are tied hand and foot because there is no one to turn to", and also expressed "We are devastated". The statements were published by BBC Mundo in December 2021.

On the other hand, 38-year-old Roberto Perez Fonseca received a joint and sole sanction of ten years in prison, for the crimes of contempt, attack, public disorder and instigation to commit a crime, as published by France 24. His mother believes that this judicial decision was actually taken because her son helped to break a photograph of Fidel Castro and confronted a policeman. The video of this episode went viral. The decision was imposed by the People's Municipal Court of San José de las Lajas, a town 35 km from Havana.

Laritza Diversent, director of Cubalex, denounced that "severe sanctions" were applied with the intention of achieving "an exemplary effect". In cases such as that of Roberto Pérez Fonseca, Diversent emphasized that it is an "excessive" sentence and argued that the evidence presented by the Prosecutor's Office "was not submitted to contradiction".

Contradictions in the Biden Administration with respect to Cuba

Cuban authorities assured that the demonstrations were orchestrated by the United States, whose administration demanded the release of all prisoners. Ned Price, spokesman for the U.S. State Department said just a month after the events on the Twitter account of the official agency that "the Cuban government responded with a brutal wave of repression that had not been seen in decades". However, the subsequent relaxations towards Cuba announced in May 2022 by Joe Biden's administration suggest that there is not much willingness to help the island out of oppression. The State Department announced in May 2022 that commercial flights to several Cuban cities will be reinstated and the $1,000 per quarter limit on remittances will be suspended. Among other measures it is also included support for broad internet access and expanded visa processing.

In another turn of events this Saturday, the head of the US diplomacy Antony Blinken, informed that the United States sanctioned 28 Cuban officials for their participation in the "repression of the protests".

Context of the protests on July 11, 2021

The demonstrations began on July 11, 2021 in San Antonio de los Baños -near Havana- and in Palma Soriano in Santiago de Cuba. An icon during the events was that people sang the song "Patria y Vida" (Homeland and Life), which became the anthem of the opposition to Castroism. The events happened as a response to the crisis of lack of food, medicines and after the sharp fall of the economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On July 12, 2021 the regime deprived the Spanish journalist and ABC correspondent in Cuba Camila Acosta of her freedom. She was locked up and imprisoned and although she was released days later she was again detained by the dictatorship that same month.

Camila explained to ABC that before her release from prison, they wanted her to sign a document accepting the charge of "public disorder", which would result in a fine.

On the other hand, the Cuban youtuber Dina Stars was detained by security officials under accusations of "promoting demonstrations" while giving an interview to a Spanish TV program.

The echo of the protests of that July 2021 had international repercussions: the whole world joined the cry of hope of Cubans to conquer their emancipation, there were mobilizations in front of Cuban embassies in different countries, as well as an unprecedented media exposure. And, although for a moment it was thought that the dictatorship would finally fall, this Tuesday marks one-year anniversary of that event and Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez continues governing.