A woman was apprehended by police in Contramaestre, Santiago de Cuba, after she took to the streets to demand electricity, food, and water. The arrest occurred in the town's center, with onlookers passively watching, not intervening to assist the woman.
"Police abuse against a woman for asserting her rights happened about half an hour ago in Contramaestre, Santiago de Cuba," a user reported to CiberCuba. The incident was also shared in the Facebook group "Revolico Contramaestre," accompanied by a video clip.
The footage shows the police using force to make the woman enter the patrol car, while she shouts “Patria y Vida,” “Water, Food.” Amid Cuba's ongoing energy crisis, worsened by Tropical Storm Oscar, the government has cited fuel shortages as an excuse. Nevertheless, repressive forces, from patrol cars to State Security vehicles, continue to operate on the island to suppress any dissent.
Government's Stance on Civil Discontent
Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel has authorized the crackdown on emerging protests, making his stance clear through state-controlled media. Recently, the Cuban dictator threatened to suppress any public demonstrations that might arise due to the national electrical system's collapse, which has plunged the population into unprecedented chaos.
“We have every readiness, capability, and deployment of our systems organized from defense councils, organizations, the party, the government, and administrations to respond to the population's concerns, as long as they are expressed in a civilized, organized, and disciplined manner,” said Díaz-Canel.
“But we will not accept or allow anyone to provoke acts of vandalism, much less disturb the public peace of our people, and that is a conviction and principle of our revolution,” he added.
Public Response and Growing Discontent
Díaz-Canel's words were perceived as threats, reminding many of the regime's brutal response to the July 11, 2021, protests. Even more, the leader has labeled those who raise their voices against the island's ongoing crisis as drunkards and indecent individuals.
“The only contrast to this determination of our people's unity, with these collective efforts to overcome adversity, are a handful of people, mostly inebriated, who have behaved in a... ehh... indecent manner,” the ruler declared.
Instead of achieving his goals, Díaz-Canel's statements have only fueled public discontent, with citizens increasingly aware of the government's incompetence and its reliance on threats and repression to cling to power illegitimately.