Cuban influencer Manuel Milanés called the newsroom of the newspaper Granma and Canal Caribe to demand answers after both Cuban state media labeled him a terrorist, following the directives of the Ministry of Interior (MININT) and the island's government, as he was included, along with others, in the so-called "National Terrorist List" published in Official Gazette No. 83 on December 7, 2023.
In the call made to the official body of the Communist Party of Cuba, Milanés asks what criteria they use to label him a terrorist. This questioning goes unanswered by the journalist, who, in the video, noticeably runs out of words in response to the influencer's inquiries.
The official Cuban publication made serious accusations against prominent activists, opponents, and members of the exiled Cuban civil society, including Milanés, labeling them as "terrorists" and claiming they were involved in a plan to incite a general strike on December 10 and 11, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, according to an article published on December 2.
Like every justification that the regime in Havana puts forward to try to divert attention from issues for which they have no evidence, while there are greater problems in the country, such as shortages, high violence, and public antipathy, the report suggests that these actions are instigated by the U.S. Department of State, in an effort to "warm up the end of the year" in the country.
As if that weren't enough, they also, from Canal Caribe, lent their editorial offices to join this chorus of accusations. Milanés himself also challenged them.
On this occasion, who answered his call was Dayana Natacha Romero, allegedly the Head of News for that official Cuban channel, who, in response to the influencer's questions, decided to end the call immediately.
On November 7, Havana made public the list of 61 individuals and 19 entities accused of sponsoring terrorism in Cuba, which includes several investigative files.
Several individuals included in this list have responded, in different tones and styles, but so far, all have agreed in indicating that the step taken by the regime will not mean a change in their intention to denounce the Cuban government.
In the case of Manuel Milanés, upon learning of the regime's new move, he resorted to a brief publication in which he used irony and stated that "they shouldn't waste more ink."
"Several times in Con Filo, Mesa Redonda, Guerrero, Razones de Cuba, Juventud Rebelde, NTV, Granma, a tweet from DiazK and now Gaceta Oficial, @PartidoPCC. Don't waste any more ink. This is a one-way trip and I have already burned the ships," he wrote.
For its part, in addition to the list, the Cuban regime threatened to extradite and prosecute in absentia the citizens included in the recent "National Terrorist List" who are exiled in third countries.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under:
