The autocratic Cuban regime chaired by Miguel Díaz-Canel tries to repress this Monday the Civic March for Change, a protest by the people in favor of freedom organized by the Archipelago platform, which aims to replicate the historic peaceful demonstrations of July 11, in the that thousands of Cubans took to the streets to
demand a change of political course
.
The mobilizations on Monday have, as four months ago, the objective of demanding an end to the repression, protesting the shortage of food and medicine, and demanding the release of political prisoners and greater access to the Internet, among other things.
The regime considers this protest illegal and has threatened to repress it violently, as it did in July.
Men hang Cuban flags in the windows of the house of the playwright and opponent Yunior García Aguilera in an attempt to prevent him from communicating with the outside, while he holds a flower from a window, in Havana, Cuba, Sunday, November 14, 2021 Ramon Espinosa / AP
The initial convocation changed last week as a result of these threats from the regime: thus, the leader of the Archipelago and promoter of the demonstrations, the playwright Yunior García Aguilera, announced that he
would march alone through the streets of Havana
on Sunday "on behalf of all citizens who have been deprived of their right to demonstrate by the regime ".
[In photos: this is how the Cuban regime repressed the most numerous protests in decades against the communist system]
He called on his compatriots who want to take to the streets this Monday to "not put their physical integrity and that of other people at risk."
However, on Sunday morning García Aguilera denounced that
his house was besieged by members of the security forces
dressed in civilian clothes to prevent him from carrying out his protest alone, thus increasing the climate of tension.
"
We are returning to the worst times,
" said the activist.
"The cloudy city dawned as if it were ready to cry," says this Cuban
Nov. 15, 202102: 02
The editor of the Cuban media Portal Político, Gueda Rod, told Noticias Telemundo that about 100 Cuban activists were besieging their homes on Sunday to
prevent them from going out to protest
.
The Cuban regime alleges that these protests are promoted and financed by the United States: "The promoters, their public projections and links with subversive organizations or agencies financed by
the United States Government have the open intention of changing the political system of our country.
" Diaz-Canel said after the July protests.
["There is a lot of pressure so that we do not tell what is happening": the Cuban regime turns off the internet in an attempt to silence citizens]
Joe Biden's government immediately condemned the position of the Cuban authorities and redoubled its commitment to the aspirations of a part of the population.
"By refusing to allow these demonstrations, the Cuban regime clearly demonstrates that
it is unwilling to respect or defend the human rights
and fundamental freedoms of Cubans," the State Department said on October 16.
The playwright and opponent Yunior García Aguilera, looks outside from his home in Havana, on November 14, 2021.Ramon Espinosa / AP
In parallel to the actions of the security forces to suppress the protests, the Cuban regime on Saturday withdrew the accreditations of the entire team of journalists from the Spanish information agency Efe.
After hours of intense negotiations, only a copywriter and a videographer regained their work permits.
The marches organized by Archipelago were initially called for November 20, but the regime announced military exercises for that day, according to García Aguilera.
The platform advanced the date to November 15.
The authorities declared them illegal and scheduled the reopening of the school year for that day, with children's parties in the streets.
July 11, in memory
Thousands of Cubans took to the streets of the island on July 11 to denounce the repression they suffer and the shortage of food and medicine.
["We want freedom": thousands of Cubans take to the streets to denounce shortages and repression]
The demonstrations came at a time when the communist country is
facing the worst economic crisis since the fall of the USSR
, an increase in persecution against political opponents and a collapse of the health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They report that about 100 Cuban activists are besieging their homes to prevent them from protesting
Nov. 15, 202104: 36
Social networks were a key element for
Cubans to broadcast the marches live
, despite the constant Internet cuts, and put the government on the ropes.
With information from
CNN Español
and
El País
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