Academics, artists, and intellectuals from Cuba and around the world send a letter of support to students following ETECSA's rate hike

More than a hundred Cuban academics, artists, journalists, and intellectuals, both on and off the Island, have publicly issued a letter of support for university students who have recently led protests and called for an academic strike in response to the increase in fees by ETECSA, the Cuban telecommunications monopoly.

The widely criticized measure requires payment in U.S. dollars for basic Internet access services, effectively leaving thousands of people without access to foreign currency cut off from communication.

The text of the letter was sent to CiberCuba by its promoters, who claim that the young protesters have begun to be victims of threats and reprisals from the government.

Among the signatories are prominent figures from the academic, cultural, and media fields in Cuba and other countries, including professors from universities such as Harvard, Stanford, CUNY, FIU, and El Colegio de México.

Also, teachers and journalists who have been victims of repression by the Cuban regime, as well as activists and artists such as Tania Bruguera, Cirenaica Moreira, Geandy Pavón, and Juan Carlos Alom.

"Cuba is experiencing a catastrophic situation after 66 years of government repression, extortion, and exile," the letter states.

"It is not just about a sudden increase in communication rates or costs, but rather the burden of paying for a national public service being shifted to an exile community that also provides the essentials for meeting the basic needs of medicine and food for many residents on the island," he adds.

The authors denounce not only the "disproportionate" increase in rates but also the regime's strategy to criminalize and silence any expression of dissent.

"The Cuban student body [...] has raised its voice against the abuses, even calling for a nationwide university strike. This has made it a target of the regime's repressive machinery," the text states, recalling the protests of July 11 and anticipating a "similar persecution" against today’s youth.

The signatories call on the international community, both academic and non-academic, to speak out in defense of Cuban university students and to reject governmental repression.

Below, CiberCuba reproduces the full text of the document and the names of the signatories.

Cuba is experiencing a catastrophic situation after 66 years of governmental repression, extortion, and exile. Today, once again, instead of alleviating the desperate situation of the Cuban people, who lack the most basic rights and services, the regime on the island has disproportionately increased the phone rates controlled by the state monopoly Etecsa, which will now have to be paid in U.S. dollars. This is not just an increase in communication costs, but a shift in the payment of a national public service to an exile community that also provides essential support for basic needs such as medicine and food for many residents on the island. Furthermore, this measure will leave those without a relative abroad who can pay the new rates cut off from communication.

For the first time in decades, Cuban students, honoring old republican traditions of participation in political and social affairs, have raised their voices against repression, even calling for a national university strike. This has turned them into a target for the regime's repressive machinery, which has already initiated an information manipulation campaign, leading to concerns that a wave of persecution similar to that used against the protests of July 2021 will be unleashed against them, for which hundreds of people are still imprisoned.

The signatories of this letter, academics and intellectuals from around the world, wish to express our support and solidarity with the students on the island, and to call on the international community to defend the students and professors from the reprisals they are facing for voicing their demands.

Signatures:

Achy Obejas, writer

Adrián Morales Rodríguez, musician and visual artist

Ahmel Echevarría Peré, writer and critic of art and literature

Alejandro Alonso, Brooklyn College

Alejandro de la Fuente, Harvard University

Alejandro González Acosta, National Autonomous University of Mexico

Alexis Romay, writer

Alfredo Triff, University of Miami

Alina Bárbara López, historian and activist

Alicia Llarena, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Anabel López-García, New York University

Anamely Ramos González, University of Illinois (UIC)

Anastasia Valecce, Spelman College

Anke Birkenmaier, Indiana University, Bloomington

Ana Belén Martín Sevillano, University of Montreal

Aníbal Pérez López, writer and journalist

Ariel Arjona Hernandez, University of Minnesota

Ariel Ruiz Urquiola, University of Bern

Armando Chaguaceda, political scientist

Arsenio Rodríguez Quintana, writer

Boris González Arenas, journalist

Caridad Brioso, engineer

Carlos A. Aguilera, writer

Carlos Manuel Álvarez, journalist

Carla Gloria Colomé, journalist

Caterina Camastra, National Autonomous University of Mexico–Morelia

Cecilia Borroto López, University of Houston

Cirenaica Moreira, artist

Ciro Quintana, artist

Claudia González Marrero, historian

Coco Fusco, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Consuelo Martínez-Reyes, Macquarie University

Daniel Cruces, writer

Dairen Zamora, University of Florida

Damaris Puñales, Case Western Reserve University

Daylet Domínguez, University of California, Berkeley

Dean Luis Reyes, film critic and educator

Dennys Matos, curator and essayist

Desiree Diaz, Swarthmore College

Diley Hernández, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dunielys Díaz, University of Concepción

Eduardo López-Collazo, UNIE University and AC Latin American

Elaine Acosta González, Florida International University

Elaine Díaz, journalist

Elena González, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Elena Martínez, Baruch College, CUNY

Elena Valdez, Christopher Newport University

Elzbieta Sklodowska, Washington University

Enrico Mario Santí, essayist and writer

Enrique Del Risco, New York University

Ernesto Menéndez-Conde, Hunter College, CUNY

Esther María Hernández Arocha, Claremont McKenna College

Evelyn Sosa, photographer

Eyda Merediz, University of Maryland

Francisco García González, writer

Geandy Pavón, artist

Gerardo Fernández Fe, writer

Gleyvis Coro Montanet, Antonio de Nebrija University

Guillermina de Ferrari, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Haroldo Dilla, Arturo Prat University

Hugo García González, Western Washington University

Hugo Pezzini, writer

Idalia Morejón Arnaiz, University of São Paulo

Indira Pupo, editor

Ivette Falcón, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

Ivette Leyva, journalist

Jacobo Machover, Avignon University

Jeannine Diego, Virginia Commonwealth University

Jenny Victoria Pantoja Torres, anthropologist

Jorge Brioso, Carleton College

Jorge Ferrer, writer

Jorge Fernández Era, writer

Jorge Salcedo Maspons, writer

José del Valle, The Graduate Center, CUNY

José Jasán Nieves, journalist

José María Herrera, writer

José Raúl Gallego Ramos, journalist

José Ramón Ruisánchez, University of Houston

Juan Carlos Alom, photographer

Juan Carlos Quintero Herencia, University of Maryland

Juan Miguel Pozo, artist

Julio Llopiz-Casal, artist

Justo Planas, Le Moyne College

Katie Coldiron, Florida International University

Kelly Martínez-Grandall, writer

Kenya C. Dworkin, Carnegie Mellon University

Lázaro González, University of California, Berkeley

Legna Rodríguez Iglesias, writer

Leonardo M. Fernández Otaño, University of Alcalá, Academic Freedom Observatory

Leticia Sánchez, artist

Lisa Surwillo, Stanford University

Lizabel Monica, writer

Lleny Díaz, writer

Lourdes Davila, New York University

Luis Felipe Rojas, journalist

Mabel Cuesta, University of Houston

Maite Hernández-Lorenzo, University of Miami

Manuel Barcia, University of Bath

María A. Cabrera Arús, New York University

María Caridad Cumaná, Tulane University

María Elena Hernández Caballero, writer

María Hernández, Hunter College, City University of New York

María Isabel Alfonso, St. Joseph’s University

María Moreno, Metropolitan Autonomous University–Cuajimalpa

Marial Iglesias Utset, Harvard University

Marlene Azor Hernández, academic and activist

Maybel Mesa, Lycoming College

Melissa C. Novo, University of Guadalajara

Michel Mendoza, City University of New York

Mireya Goñi, writer

Mirta Suquet, Susquehanna University

Mónica Baró, University of Miami

Monica Simal, Providence College

Néstor Arenas, artist

Nils Longueira, California State University, Fullerton

Olga Romero Mestas, Florida State University

Omara I. Ruiz Urquiola, Academic Freedom Observatory (OLA)

Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, writer

Osvaldo Cleger, Georgia Institute of Technology

Pablo J. Hernández González, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico

Pablo Ruiz, Tufts University

Patricia Quintana Lantigua, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí

Pavel Giroud, filmmaker

Rafael Díaz Casas, art critic and curator

Rafael Rojas, The College of Mexico

Rafael de la Uz, photographer

Rachel Hynson, historian

Ricardo Ramos Tremolada, writer

Roberto García, engineer

Rolando Sánchez Mejías, writer

Rosa Marquetti, music historian

Rubén Cruces, artist

Sharina Maillo-Pozo, researcher professor

Silvia López, Carleton College

Tania Bruguera, Harvard University

Tania Pérez Cano, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Ted Henken, Baruch College, CUNY

Teresa Arsuaga, lawyer

Teresa Ayuso Morales, artist

Vincent Bloch, Fordham University

Vilma Vidal, Concordia University

Walfrido Dorta, Susquehanna University

Wilfredo Cancio Isla, journalist

William Kelly, historian

Xavier Tavera Castro, Carleton College

Yansi Pérez, Carleton College

Yoandy Cabrera, Rockford University

Frequently Asked Questions about the Student Protests in Cuba over the ETECSA Rate Hike