The renowned writer Leonardo Padura Fuentes stated that in Cuba there is a historical fatigue that motivated the protests in several cities last Sunday.
"They have come together, as the saying goes, 'hunger and need' and this explosion occurred. (…) They are manifestations of a process that I have been saying in my novels for many years" and "that I have called fatigue historic," he said at a press conference.
"People deserve to live better after so many sacrifices and I hope that there is no repressive response from the Government and the Cuban State with these protesters," he stressed.
Padura, who is in Spain, said that in addition to protesting the electricity problems and the lack of food, "cries for freedom were also heard" in the demonstrations, something "that cannot be ignored."
"What is evident is that the Cuban socio-political-economic system needs changes," he stressed, quoted by the agency WHICH.
As on other occasions, he referred to the immigration crisis and recalled that In the last two years, 650,000 Cubans have arrived in the United States through illegal means, a "very representative" figure for Cuba, with eleven million inhabitants.
The Princess of Asturias awardee explained that this trip to the United States can cost up to $10,000, so "many people have sold everything they had in Cuba" to embark on the journey.
In January 2023, Padura stated that Cubans are tired of hearing promises of change and to live in History, and what they want to live in normality.
In interview with BBC, assured that Cuban society is going through many shortcomings and that many things need to change so that people begin to look towards the future with optimism.
"Although the official propaganda talks about all the efforts that the State government makes to make things improve, we do not see the results. And we have been tired of hearing promises for a long time," he stressed.
The novelist pointed out that pockets of wealth have been created in Cuba while widespread poverty has spread.
"There are people who for years, for years, for years, do not eat in a restaurant or have vacations on a beach. And there are people today in Cuba who smoke and have to do so with chopped tobacco and pages from telephone directories, because they don't have enough money to buy cigarettes. And that lasts for days, weeks, months, years," he added.
In July 2022, the writer expressed that life in Cuba was at a critical point due to the migration crisis, carried out mainly by young people, the general shortage of supplies and the lack of short-term solutions.
"There is a serious problem of shortages and electricity generation. There are even many difficulties in obtaining medicines for chronic diseases such as hypertension and hypothyroidism. The fact that the pandemic practically paralyzed tourism was something that greatly affected Cuba economically, which "It was already under pressure from measures that reinforced the economic embargo..." he explained then.
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