The phrase "Canel asesino" was painted on a wall located at the intersection of 31st and 66th Streets, in the Playa municipality, one of the busiest areas in the west of Havana.
The complaint was made this Tuesday by the independent profile La Kinkalla TV on social media, which shared a video of the moment when a couple of individuals were hastily trying to erase the graffiti message allegedly made at midnight.
According to the mentioned profile, the mural was painted on a wall of considerable height near the corner of 31 and 66, where it emerged before the astonished eyes of local residents and nearby enforcers. The slogan has been interpreted as a form of protest against the recent price hike by the Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA), which has caused a wave of outrage in the country.
The video clearly displayed the slogan written in large yellow letters, visible from the sidewalk and the main road. Alongside those working to cover the sign, a couple dressed in civilian clothes and riding a Suzuki motorcycle was seen, which many identified by their appearance as operatives from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
This type of public expression of discontent towards the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel is not common in such exposed spaces, due to the strong state control over political expression in Cuba. However, since the protests of July 11, 2021, the country has seen an increase in acts of symbolic rebellion, especially in urban areas.
The poster from this Tuesday adds to a series of similar demonstrations that have taken place in various provinces of the country in recent years. For example, in March 2024, posters with phrases like "Díaz-Canel singao" appeared in Matanzas following intense days of protests.
In August 2022, graffiti was reported with messages such as "Down with the dictatorship" and "Long live a free Cuba" at Loma de la Cruz, in Holguín. A month earlier, in Cienfuegos, a police operation was launched due to the appearance of a poster against Díaz-Canel at a pre-university institution in the city.
The challenge "paint your piece" went viral in July 2021 and since then has resurfaced with each wave of energy crisis or moments of heightened discontent among Cubans who, aware of the risks they face if caught, give free rein to their outrage with posters and graffiti against the government.
The emergence of this type of message in public spaces is interpreted by the regime as a sign of breaking the fear and of a society that seeks to make itself heard, which is why they rush to erase them and identify their authors to arrest and threaten them.
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