A video is circulating on social media showing the arrest of a Cuban after filming a police officer.
"Beautiful vacation, a Cuban travels to Cuba and ends up in prison!", wrote the portal Cubaneando por el Mundo while sharing the images.
The news portal La Tijera reported that a Cuban resident abroad, visiting the island, decided to enjoy a day of fishing on the road to Los Cayos with his family and friends.
However, "the calm did not last long," after a patrol from the PNR appeared "to try to fine them without justification", claimed the aforementioned source regarding the alleged reason for the police presence.
“Don't be funny with me, you are going to delete that and you'll be taken to the station”, the agent is heard saying before forcibly placing the man in the patrol car for recording him.
“This is how the ‘authority’ acts in a country where even visitors are not spared from police abuse. Fishing? Only if the regime approves it”, pointed out La Tijera.
"While the real criminals roam free, the Castro regime represses even those who cast a fishing line into the sea," he concluded.
Beyond the fact itself, which triggered a flurry of opinions in various forums, two details have also caught attention: the bag of soy yogurt that the arrested individual was carrying, and the seats of the patrol car, identical to those of the Yutong.
Regarding the first point, someone suggested that it might be an old bag used to store hooks and other fishing gear. What remains a mystery is the Yutong patrol with its seats.
Reactions on social media: Outrage, legal debate, and criticism of the regime
The video quickly went viral on social media, generating hundreds of comments from users both inside and outside the island. The incident sparked an intense debate about the limits of police power in Cuba, the right to record in public spaces, and the legal context of citizens' actions in response to repressive forces.
-Criticism of abuse of authority
Numerous internet users denounced the agent's actions as a blatant display of abuse of power. Among the messages, it read:
"That is a violation of the rights of the citizen... the one who should be imprisoned is the officer."
"Always remember that exercising any freedom in Cuba is a crime. You are not in a state of law: it is a dictatorship."
"Lack of professionalism, lack of ethics, lack of humanity. That is what that video shows."
-Defense of the right to record
Several users defended the citizen's right to record public officials in the performance of their duties:
"From the moment they put on the uniform or identify themselves as officers, they are public officials. Therefore, they can be recorded: it is a right that citizens have to oversee their work."
"Many rely on the personal data law, but a police officer is a public official, and therefore that rule does not apply."
"Recording what is happening is not a crime: it is evidence of what is happening to you. The crime occurs when you publish the images without consent."
-Critical positions towards the visitor
Some comments questioned the behavior of the Cuban tourist:
"No one should be recorded without their consent. Whether they are police or not."
"Well deserved. One does not travel to Cuba under dictatorship."
"People complicate things for fun. You have three days to contest the fine. Go on to your beach, have some fun."
-Mistrust towards police intentions
Several comments suggested that the police presence was driven more by an intention to extort than by a sense of duty
"What happened was that you didn't have the drinks fridge visible to them. Otherwise, everything is fine."
"The cops trying to scrape together some dollars."
"They consider such a place a 'protected area,' but they do not protect the people from the epidemics that arise from the numerous existing landfills."
-Disenchantment with Cuban reality
Beyond the specific incident, it catalyzed a wave of comments about the Cuban political system:
"THERE IS NO RIGHT TO LIVE... THERE IS NO RIGHT TO HAVE WATER... THERE IS NO RIGHT TO ANYTHING... CUBANS NEED EXTERNAL HELP!"
"There are no rights here."
"Main reason not to travel to Cuba: losing your rights. I will never travel."
"Police officers in Cuba are the most corrupt. They fear cameras because they don't want their actions to be known."
Although there were some voices that justified the agent or criticized the recording without consent, the prevailing sentiment on social media was one of condemnation against the police's actions and the repressive context they represent.
The most repeated, direct, and forceful phrase could summarize the sentiment of public opinion: “That only happens in a dictatorship.”
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