Police operations increase against vendors on the National Highway of Cuba

In the midst of the terrible food shortage in Cuba, the authorities continue with theirharassment towards private sellers and in recent days police operations on the roads have been reinforced.

Sunny San Roman, an independent journalist from Jagüey Grande, in Matanzas, shared photos of police officers stationed on the National Highway,on the hunt for any merchant trying to sell their wares to drivers traveling through the area.

"The police siege on street food vendors on the National Highway increases. Some people from Jagüey try to survive by selling bread, soft drinks and other fast foods at km 142 of the main road in the west of the country, but the PNR chases them and imposes fines of up to 4 thousand pesos, in addition to confiscating the merchandise." expressed inFacebook.

Internet users commented on the publication, outraged at the role of the police, which lends itself to persecuting and punishing people who are trying to resolve their situation, instead of dedicating themselves to fighting the real criminals who steal, assault and murder.

"It's not easy with these HP types of police, they do nothing but screw up people's lives knowing how the country is with lack of food, work, everything. Why don't they start catching big criminals, like the ones "They kill the poor farmers' cows, like those who rob private individuals...", questioned one.

"That they go to monitor the robberies and the criminals that are ending up within our town, that is what they have to do and leave what they are fighting for," said another.

Last week, theLa Habana Vieja authorities fined a reel for selling poor quality products.

Information from the weeklyTribunereported the fact, and included it within the government's confrontation with actions that "hurt the sensitivity of clients."

Last February, the authorities of Cienfuegos appliedfines to eight forklift drivers in the amount of 39 thousand pesos.

The sanctions were applied as part of "a series of operations to combat crime and illegalities" that, according to the official press, are taken "in response to the population's complaints about the increase in the prices of goods and services."

Liz Caridad Guerrero Soria, inspector of the Directorate of Inspection and Supervision, blamed the self-employed workers for altering the capped prices of food, fruits and vegetables, and some for carrying out "the particular activity illegally."

Each fine for vendors ranged between 8,000 and 10,000 pesos.

In October,Forklift drivers and pedicab drivers in Old Havana denounced the growing siege that they suffered from the inspectors, who - according to what they claimed - were indiscriminately increasing the imposition of fines on self-employed workers in collusion with the Police.

An elderly forklift driver, who had been fined more than 10 times in recent months - the last one for 1,500 pesos - complained that inspectors always find justification for issuing a fine.

In statements toCubaNet, the self-employed person explained that the "repression" with the forklift drivers is only towards those who do not do "business with the inspectors", who demand money from them in exchange for letting them work in peace.