The Wilfredo Pagés Stadium in the city of Manzanillo woke up this Saturday adorned with large-scale phrases expressing citizens' frustration with the Cuban regime.
The messages "Patria y Vida" and "Abajo el Canel" were written on the walls of the sports facility, in an action that generated significant impact in the city of Granma.
The activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia, residing in the United States, shared the images on her profile with a sarcastic message: "I left, what beauty! This is how it looked this Saturday morning!"
The photos clearly display the slogans, symbols of resistance and rejection of the established power.
This graphic protest occurs just a few days after a demonstration in the Manzanillo neighborhood of La Kaba, where residents took to the streets on Sunday night in protest against power outages lasting over 20 hours.
The gathering, marked by the clamor of banging pots, was suppressed by the police, who arrested at least three citizens.
One of the detainees, Yongel Quiala, was held in custody for several days, while the other two were released after receiving a fine of 10,000 pesos, an amount that is disproportionate given the widespread poverty experienced by the population.
Diasniurka Salcedo also reported that another protester, Addel Céspedes, was brutally beaten by the authorities. "They are abusers! He can barely stand!" she stated.
Political graffiti has become a channel of expression in the face of increasing repression of street protests.
Recently, anti-government slogans appeared in a high school in Guane, Pinar del Río.
Although they were quickly erased, the message resonated with many Cubans who feel they no longer have another way to express themselves.
"The people are gradually waking up. No one believes in that government anymore, and they know it; that is their greatest fear," wrote journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión 23 while sharing the images on .
The actions in Manzanillo, both the street protests and the graffiti in public spaces, reflect a Cuba where social unrest persists and forms of dissent are emerging more strongly, despite surveillance and repression.
While the regime clings to a narrative of resistance against the external "blockade," the internal reality—characterized by endless blackouts, inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and repression—leaves increasingly little room for hope.
And when the people have no voice, they speak with paint.
Frequently asked questions about the protests and discontent in Manzanillo, Cuba
What messages were painted in the stadium of Manzanillo?
The painted messages were "Homeland and Life" and "Down with Canel". These phrases express the discontent and resistance of the population against the Cuban regime, symbolizing a direct critique of the government and President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
What motivated the recent protests in Manzanillo?
The protests in Manzanillo were primarily triggered by prolonged blackouts that lasted over 20 hours. The frustration over the energy crisis and the difficult living conditions has led citizens to express their discontent through street demonstrations and acts of graphic protest.
How has the Cuban government responded to the demonstrations and protests?
The government has responded with repression and criminalization of the protesters. There have been reports of detentions and the use of police to contain the protests. Furthermore, the authorities have attempted to discredit the protesters, labeling them as "antisocial" and "criminals," without providing effective solutions to the crisis.
What other places in Cuba have experienced similar protests?
In addition to Manzanillo, other cities such as Bayamo, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba have been the scene of protests motivated by power outages and food shortages. The energy and economic crisis has generated widespread discontent in several areas of the country, prompting the population to take to the streets to demand improvements.
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