During a recent energy crisis, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled citizens who took to the streets to protest widespread power outages and the collapse of the national energy system as "drunk" and "indecent." These remarks were made during a Sunday appearance at the National Defense Council, where he was dressed in military olive green, emphasizing a harsh stance and issuing clear threats of repression against dissenters.
“The only thing that contrasts with our people's unity and determination to overcome adversity together are a few individuals, mostly inebriated, who have behaved in a... eh... indecent manner,” stated Díaz-Canel. His comments were directed at the protests that erupted across various parts of the country, particularly since Saturday, following the second nationwide blackout caused by the energy system's collapse last Friday.
Normalization of Repression
The regime's tendency to disparage Cubans exercising their right to free expression is a persistent theme, particularly during critical times when the population bears the brunt of mismanagement and indifference from their leaders. This narrative of insulting those who dare to speak out, despite the severe consequences, is echoed among Díaz-Canel's ministers and officials. Energy and Mines Minister Vicente La O Levy reportedly used similar derogatory terms, although his statements were not broadcast by the Cuban Foreign Ministry's International Press Center.
Reports on social media suggest that De la O Levy labeled protesters as “indecent and cowardly” but this has not been independently verified due to the opaque nature of the regime's media outlets. The strategy is clear: to label protesters as not part of the Cuban people and to intimidate them with threats of severe repression.
Official Standpoint and Threats
Díaz-Canel emphasized that the government is fully prepared to address public concerns as long as they are expressed in a "civilized, organized, and disciplined" manner. “We will not accept nor allow anyone to engage in vandalism or disturb the peace of our citizens, and that is a firm conviction and principle of our revolution,” he declared.
Rather than quelling dissent, these statements from Díaz-Canel, seen as a puppet of Raúl Castro, have only intensified public discontent. Cubans increasingly perceive their leaders as incapable and reliant on threats and violence to maintain their illegitimate grip on power.
Historical Context of Insults
This is not the first instance of Díaz-Canel using the term "indecent" to describe citizens protesting power outages. In August 2022, amidst a crisis of prolonged and frequent blackouts that sparked protests in Havana and other regions, he addressed state media with a similarly threatening and insulting message.
“This situation has been exploited by the enemies of the revolution to create discouragement, uncertainty; to incite acts of vandalism and terrorism, to promote social disorder, and disrupt public peace," he stated. "Unfortunately, there are people with quite indecent and vandalistic behavior who engage in these actions," the leader reiterated, resorting to the same arguments amid the current crisis.