Law students from the University of Holguín filed an unprecedented public lawsuit against the state telecommunications company ETECSA, alleging breach of contract and violation of fundamental rights following the recent imposition of new tariffs in foreign currency.
The initiative, shared on Facebook by student René Javier, has gone viral on social media, becoming a brave act of legal and civil resistance.
University students accuse ETECSA of implementing "unilateral" measures that violate the right to communication, equality, and free access to the internet.
Additionally, they point out that the company violated contractual clauses that require prior notification to customers about any changes to the service conditions.
The text also categorically rejects the limited offer that the entity made to university students, labeling it as "classist and contrary to law."
Far from being a relief, students argue that the measure deepens social exclusion, segments society between those who receive remittances and those who do not, and promotes a "covert dollarization" of internet access, violating constitutional principles of social justice and equity.
Beyond the legal content, the declaration is also an act of civic dignity. The students denounce the lack of support from the FEU and the UJC, organizations that, in theory, should represent their interests.
They also warn that any attempt at coercion, detention, or sanction by public officials will be considered a punishable act and contrary to the law. "We reject any institution or official that opposes the exercise of the right to free consultation," they stated.
This gesture marks a turning point in the relationship between university youth and power. Instead of submitting to fear or official propaganda, these students invoke the current legal framework, including articles from the Constitution, the Civil Code, and the Penal Code, to claim their rights.
In a country where protests are often suppressed, this demand serves as a wake-up call to the government: university students are not only awakening; they are reading the law... and demanding that it be upheld.
Next, CiberCuba shares the full text of the publication:
"WE, THE STUDENTS OF THE LAW DEGREE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOLGUÍN,"
Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication (FACSOC) Celia Sánchez Manduley Campus. Cuban citizens, with full capacity to exercise the rights enshrined in the current Constitution of the Republic of Cuba.
We present and express through this document, in compliance with the requests of the student collective to which we belong, a CLAIM REGARDING THE BREACH OF CONTRACT TERMS IN THE MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OF CUBA, SOCIEDAD ANÓNIMA, OR AS IT IS KNOWN BY ITS ACRONYM, ETECSA.
On May 30, 2025, the aforementioned state entity adopted a series of measures aimed at generating foreign currency, as stated in its official announcement. This is unacceptable and illogical in a country that suffers from various types of shortages, where no one receives their salary in dollars or any foreign currency, and where it also restricts top-ups in the national currency. Throughout all these years of ETECSA's existence, we have not seen any improvements in the service it provides. Furthermore, these measures not only attack our educational rights but also limit the free exercise of communication among individuals, infringe upon the principle of equality, and unilaterally violate the clauses of the contract established by the company itself. Recently, ETECSA and its main executives, during appearances on the television program "Mesa Redonda," announced a series of measures intended to somewhat benefit a certain sector of society, in this case, the student community. In alignment with the Cuban student body and with our sister faculties across the country that have united in a unanimous voice to completely oppose this measure, which we deem exclusive, classist, and contrary to the law, we join in demanding that all citizens enjoy equal social rights without any distinction. This demand is blatantly violated by the evident and increasingly widespread dollarization of the Cuban economy, which deepens the divide among large sectors of our society.
We, heirs to our rich traditions of solidarity with the people of which we are an inseparable part, want to make it clear that we reject any manipulation of our feelings or attempts to delegitimize our thoughts and demands. Our feelings are genuine and arise from our commitment to our homeland and to all Cubans, loyal to its sovereignty. We are not puppets of anyone, nor do we take on foreign interests. Even in recent days, on multiple occasions, we have urged our representatives from the FEU and the UJC to stand with us at this moment, and all of them have categorically refused. Consequently, none of them have taken on the role they are supposed to, distancing themselves from those they swore to represent and serve.
Therefore, we reject any institution or public official that opposes the exercise of the right to a free, direct, and unmonitored consultation, as well as those who engage in coercion, detention, harassment, dismissal, or institutional sanctions against any student, teacher, or worker.
We also demand
A meeting which will be held through consensus and dialogue between ETECSA and the students in a peaceful manner during the period from June 6 of this year to June 13 of this year, the demands whose points to be addressed will be the following:
FIRST:
That the Cuban Telecommunications Company, commonly known by its acronym ETECSA, failed to comply with Term No. 7 of its previous contracts:
"ETECSA will inform the customer, 30 calendar days in advance, of any changes to the terms of service."
and No. 19 of their new contracts, which we quote verbatim:
"ETECSA will notify the customer 30 days in advance of any modifications to the service conditions that may affect the customer in any way: increase in rates or any service that may no longer be provided, in the case of corrective actions that need to be taken on the network that may impact the service."
as reflected in the prepaid cell phone service contract it offers, applying its measures unilaterally without prior notice, dated May 30, 2025.
SECOND:
That the previously mentioned measure is unconstitutional in all its parts, contrary to the rule of law and represents an affront to Socialist equality and Social Justice, as well as to freedom, equity, and individual or collective prosperity as the political and social model of our country. This is because the measures implemented by the Telecommunications Company of Cuba, known by its acronym ETECSA, as of May 30, 2025, limit Cuban society's free access to communication via the internet, capping national top-ups at a maximum of 360 CUP per month, while proposing and coercing the purchase of plans payable in CUP, where the lowest of these plans costs 3360 CUP, an amount that exceeds the minimum wage in the nation. Additionally, plans for top-ups in USD from abroad represent a clear class division in our country and the dollarization of the service. Therefore, we request its immediate and total elimination.
THIRD:
We reject the offer made by the Telecommunications Company of Cuba, known by its acronym ETECSA, to acquire an additional monthly plan of 360 CUP for university students. We believe that this measure does not address the needs and monthly consumption of university students, and it also represents a social segmentation within Cuban society. The average monthly consumption of a Cuban citizen exceeds the 6 GB offered by ETECSA, and even more so for a university student, whose data expenses surpass the 12 GB that ETECSA incorrectly and out of context defines as standard.
FOURTH:
We reject this measure for partially dollarizing communications in Cuba, which segments Cuban society between those who have access to dollars or can receive remittances or any other form of donations from people abroad, and those who do not have such conditions, opportunities, and privileges, which directly undermines the principles of the Constitution of the Republic.
FIFTH:
We point out that this measure also directly impacts those who engage in telecommuting, a new form of work recognized in the new Labor Code, or who use social media for legal purposes, as well as students connected to official media such as radio, press, or television who need to create content or audiovisual materials, and who are severely affected by the limitations imposed by this measure. Furthermore, unprotected sectors such as retirees, individuals with disabilities, domestic workers, and students from other educational levels are also affected.
SIXTH:
We reject any attempt to delegitimize our thoughts and actions, demands, or false accusations of manipulation, interference, or external intervention, as the intention of this document is based on the development of university students and citizens of the nation, in commitment to the homeland.
SEVENTH:
We demand the institutional recognition and respect for the peaceful, legitimate, and constitutional nature of the right to free, direct, and unsupervised consultation, as well as the deliberation, organization, and protest undertaken by university students from any of the country’s universities. This is grounded in the principles of popular participation, citizen sovereignty, freedom, and social responsibility of the socialist model of the Republic of Cuba.
EIGHTH:
We reject and publicly denounce, with applicable criminal action, any institution or public official that targets any student, teacher, or employee who participates directly or indirectly in peaceful protests, demonstrations, or any means they employ to demand their rights, through coercion, detention, harassment, separation, or institutional sanction.
FUNDAMENTOS DE DERECHO
FIRST:
From the Constitution of the Republic of 2019.
a. ARTICLE 1.
Cuba is a socialist state of law and social justice, democratic, independent, and sovereign, organized with everyone and for the good of all as a unitary and indivisible republic, founded on work, dignity, humanism, and the ethics of its citizens for the enjoyment of freedom, equity, equality, solidarity, well-being, and individual and collective prosperity.
SECOND:
From the Constitution of the Republic of 2019.
a. ARTICLE 42.
All individuals are equal before the law, receiving the same protection and treatment from authorities, and enjoying the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities, without any discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ethnic origin, skin color, religious belief, disability, national or territorial origin, or any other personal condition or circumstance that implies harmful distinction to human dignity.
THIRD:
From the Constitution of the Republic of 2019.
ARTICLE 54.
The State recognizes, respects, and guarantees individuals the freedom of thought, conscience, and expression. The objection of conscience cannot be invoked in order to evade compliance with the law or to prevent another from fulfilling it or exercising their rights.
ROOM:
From the Constitution of the Republic of 2019.
a. ARTICLE 61.
Individuals have the right to submit complaints and requests to the authorities, which are obligated to process them and provide timely, relevant, and well-founded responses within the period and according to the procedures established by law.
FIFTH:
From the Civil Code of the Republic of Cuba; Law 59/87 amended according to the provisions in the Final Dispositions of Law 156/2022, Family Code.
a. ARTICLE 325.1.
Anyone who receives inadequate service has the right to file complaints with the entity or individual that provided it.
b. 325.2.
In the case outlined in the previous section, the service provider must take appropriate measures to rectify the deficiencies, fulfill their service obligations, and, if that is not possible, compensate for any damages and losses.
SIXTH:
From Resolution 71/2021 of Labor and Social Security.
a. ARTICLE 7.
Telecommuting is a form of work organization in which employees perform their duties without being physically present at the workplace. Communication and the exchange of information necessary for carrying out their tasks rely on information and communication technologies through the use of email, social media, instant messaging, and other communication channels provided by the employer, without excluding in-person meetings.
SEVENTH:
From the Penal Code, law 151/2022
Article 384.1.
Anyone who prevents another person from exercising the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and expression, as exercised in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic and the laws, shall be punished with imprisonment for six months to one year, or a fine ranging from one hundred to three hundred units, or both.
b. 2.
If the crime is committed by a public official, abusing their position, the penalty is imprisonment for six months to two years, a fine of two hundred to five hundred units, or both.
c. Article 385.1.
It is punishable by imprisonment for six months to one year, or a fine of one hundred to three hundred units, or both, for anyone who, in violation of legal provisions:
a) Prevent a lawful and peaceful association from functioning or an individual from belonging to it;
b) Prevent the holding of a meeting or demonstration for lawful and peaceful purposes or prevent a person from attending it;
c) Prevent or obstruct a person from directing complaints and requests to the authorities.
g. 2.
If the crime is committed by a public official, abusing their position, the penalty is imprisonment for six months to two years or a fine of two hundred to five hundred units, or both.
As we do not currently have the support of the FEU of the FACSOC of the University of Holguín, we refuse to accept their assistance once this statement is made public.
We request a firm and immediate response from the defendant, declaring our claim valid with all its pronouncements within the required timeframe.
HOLGUÍN, THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2025."
Frequently Asked Questions about the Student Lawsuit Against ETECSA in Cuba
Why did the law students from the University of Holguín sue ETECSA?
The students filed a lawsuit against ETECSA for breach of contract and violation of fundamental rights by imposing new tariffs in foreign currency without prior notification, which they consider an illegal act contrary to the principles of social justice and equity in Cuba.
What are the main complaints from students regarding ETECSA's measures?
Students criticize the measures for restricting internet access, promoting covert dollarization, and segmenting society between those who can receive remittances and those who cannot, as well as failing to address the real data consumption needs of university students.
How have other faculties and universities reacted to ETECSA's measures?
Several faculties and universities have declared indefinite academic strikes and have issued statements rejecting the measures, demanding their repeal, improvements in Wi-Fi services, and transparency in ETECSA's management.
What specific demands have the students presented to ETECSA?
Students are demanding the immediate repeal of the new fees, improvements in internet infrastructure, and the establishment of a multidisciplinary commission to redesign the connectivity policy, as well as a public audit of ETECSA.
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