In the eastern provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo, the Cuban government has conducted exercises involving the so-called Rapid Response Brigades (BRR). These are groups comprised of civilians, organized and trained by the government, designed to collaborate with authorities in response to social unrest, protests, or disturbances.
A report from the state-run Cuban Television News System highlighted that these groups were activated in the municipality of Guantánamo. The stated aim was to "counter enemy actions and protect territorial integrity" as part of a defense drill. In the Defense Zone of La Confianza, located south of the provincial capital, participants engaged in limited shooting practice, weapon assembly and disassembly, and defined missions for various working groups.
Local authorities, including Municipal Defense Council President Albis López Ramírez, emphasized the importance of these maneuvers to ensure—according to the official narrative—control in the event of internal conflicts. Similarly, in the city of Banes, Holguín, the 20-03-12 zone of Betancur was activated. Here, the BRR, referred to in official discourse as unarmed defensive components, received training in weapon use and tactics to manage potential crisis situations.
These "training" sessions reveal the Cuban regime's strategy of pitting civilians against each other, using organized and indoctrinated groups to suppress any protest attempts, as seen in the past. Under the guise of territorial defense, these BRR units are trained in weapon handling and control tactics, strengthening the state's surveillance and coercion apparatus.
By maintaining a parallel structure for social containment, the regime not only promotes internal confrontation as a deterrent but also as a means of political control. With the deepening economic crisis, spiraling prices, and relentless power outages, the Cuban government fears renewed civilian protests. Thus, these exercises serve both to prepare their "civilian army" and to broadcast such activities to curb popular dissent.
This initiative is not new. In 2022, for instance, the government in the city of Yara, Granma province, armed BRR members with sticks to confront potential regime protesters. "Healthcare workers forming the rapid response brigade at the Luis E. de la Paz Polyclinic are preparing for various enemy demonstration events in Yara, Granma province," read a message posted on Facebook.
In 2020, the administrations of Holguín and Cabaiguán advocated for the creation of anti-hoarding groups, ostensibly to target hoarders but effectively reviving the BRR framework.
Understanding Cuba's Rapid Response Brigades
What are Rapid Response Brigades in Cuba?
Rapid Response Brigades (BRR) in Cuba are groups of civilians organized and trained by the government to act in coordination with authorities in response to social unrest, protests, or disturbances.
Why does the Cuban government conduct drills with these brigades?
The Cuban government conducts these drills to prepare the brigades to respond to potential crises and to project control over internal conflicts, thereby reinforcing its surveillance and coercion capabilities.
How do these exercises reflect the regime's control strategies?
These exercises illustrate the regime's strategy of using civilians to confront other civilians, suppressing dissent and maintaining political control by promoting internal confrontation.