Prominent voices from the world of Cuban culture, writers, filmmakers and musicians, have unreservedly supported the unprecedented protests in Cuba for more freedom of expression, an unprecedented event that experts interpret as a "
sign that things are changing
" .
Never until the demonstrations of July 11 and 12, which killed one, wounded dozens and led to hundreds of arrests, had no other anti-government event garnered such unanimous support from respected Cuban figures, unrelated to the opposition.
Read also: Between repression and Covid-19: Cuba in the twilight of Castrism
"
Faced with these statements of support, one wonders if their authors have changed, if Cuba has changed,
" Cuban writer based in Spain Jorge Ferrer told AFP. This unprecedented support after more than six decades of communism responds to the violence with which the government has reacted to the protests, which had "
an impact, even on those who usually remain silent
" and "
caused a feeling of disbelief among them. amazement and rejection so powerful as to break their loyalty,
”he adds.
To cries of "
Freedom
", "
We are hungry
" or "
Down with the dictatorship
", thousands of Cubans took to the streets of the country, in the midst of the worst economic crisis in recent decades and a strong rebound in the economy. Covid-19 pandemic. After the social explosion, President Miguel Diaz-Canel recognized the need for “self-criticism and a profound revision of our working methods”.
Unaccustomed to these street revolts, Cubans were equally stunned by the messages of support sent by their popular music stars.
"
We support the thousands of Cubans who claim their rights, we must be listened to,
" wrote on Facebook Samuel Formell, director of Van Van, a group considered to be the "
locomotive of music
" in Cuba.
The surprise was less when reading the message from guitarist and composer Pablo Milanes, 78, who has distanced himself from the government for a while, living much of the time off the island.
It is "
irresponsible and absurd to blame and repress a people who have sacrificed themselves for decades to support this regime,
" he posted on Facebook.
“
Wouldn't it be better to legally allow demonstrations by citizens?
Revolutionaries or not?
Asked Luis Alberto Garcia, a critical actor whose sketches make a mockery of the daily life of Cubans.
Other Cuban celebrities have called on the government to respond to protesters' demands.
It is a sign that things are changing in Cuba and that every day people realize a little more that freedom of opinion must be respected.
Maria Isabel Alfonso, Cuban scholar living in New York
It is "
a cry of despair
" to which the authorities must "
give a material response, but also a political one,
" said the author of detective novels Leonardo Padura. While expressing some reservations about the demonstrations, guitarist and performer Silvio Rodriguez called on his blog for “
fewer sanctions, less desire for violence
” towards detainees “
who were not violent
”, “
more dialogue
"And" no
more wanting to solve the mountain of current economic and political problems
".
Filmmaker Fernando Pérez participated with actor Jorge Perugorria in the demonstrations of November 27, 2020 in Havana, when more than 300 young artists gathered in front of the Ministry of Culture to demand more freedom of expression. In a recent interview with AFP, he said he "
felt that something was really changing
", regretting the breakdown in dialogue with the government and the stigmatization since of these young artists by the media. Cuba needs "
solutions, radical changes
," he added. For Maria Isabel Alfonso, a Cuban scholar living in New York, thesupport of these figures of Cuban culture "
is vital to show that the best way is dialogue and not confrontation between Cubans
". It is also "
the sign that things are changing in Cuba and that every day people realize a little more that freedom of opinion must be respected
", she underlined.
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