In the early hours of June 29, the municipality of Guanabacoa experienced a day of social tension that ended in repression. According to reports on social media, residents of the neighborhoods Barreto, Teguete, and Potosí took to the streets throwing bottles and shouting slogans like "freedom," in an atmosphere of spontaneous protest seemingly driven by the ongoing blackouts and lack of water.
The authorities' response was immediate. A heavy police operation swept through the area and "took everyone they could," according to witnesses.
Among those arrested is Sunamis Quintero García, a young woman who, according to her mother's testimony, was not actively participating in the protest but was observing from the doorway of her home. When she saw the officers approaching, she began to shout "Freedom! Long live free Cuba!", after which she was violently arrested by three police officers.
Her mother, Moraima García, who has been living in Florida for 13 years, has publicly reported the case and is seeking help to bring attention to it. In a video shared on social media, she explained that her daughter was beaten, initially taken to the Guanabacoa station, then to the Regla unit, afterwards to El Vivac, and finally to a State Security facility, where she is currently being held incommunicado.
Sunamis, mother of two young children, a five-year-old girl and a barely one-year-old baby, was going through a period of severe depression, worsened by the economic crisis, food shortages, and the precarious living conditions.
“My daughter had never spoken out before. She only screamed because the situation in Cuba is desperate, especially for a mother with children,” said Moraima. “Now they want to prosecute her as a ringleader. As if she were a criminal,” she reported.
The case of Sunamis gives a human face to the daily drama faced by thousands of Cubans due to the deterioration of living conditions and the repression of dissent. His family demands his immediate release and calls on the international community, as well as Cuban civil society, not to allow fear or apathy to silence these types of injustices.
“Sharing these cases is a form of resistance”, stated Carolina Barrero, a Cuban activist, while also denouncing the situation.
The protest in Guanabacoa was not an isolated incident. On the night of June 30, protests involving pots and pans were reported in the Havana municipality of La Lisa, in reaction to the extension of blackouts to the capital as well.
“The regime has tried to prevent power outages from spreading to Havana, but it is now impossible,” denounced the activist Magdiel Jorge Castro. “The electricity cuts have extended to eight hours a day, even in the early morning, and do not respect the announced rotating schedules,” he added.
Additionally, in mid-June a grafitti appeared on the outer wall of a medical office in the La Hata neighborhood, also in Guanabacoa, with the phrase: “Down with the dictatorship. Díaz-Canel is an idiot”.
The message was reported by journalist José Raúl Gallego and quickly shared by users on social media before it was removed by the authorities.
Frequently asked questions about repression and protests in Cuba
What motivated the protest in Guanabacoa?
The protest in Guanabacoa was sparked by constant blackouts and water shortages, which led residents to take to the streets chanting "freedom." Social discontent over living conditions in Cuba is a frequent catalyst for these demonstrations.
How did the Cuban government respond to the protest in Guanabacoa?
The Cuban government responded with a strong police operation that resulted in the detention of several protesters, including Sunamis Quintero García, who was arrested for shouting slogans from her doorstep. Repression is a common response of the Cuban regime to popular demonstrations.
Who is Sunamis Quintero García and why was she arrested?
Sunamis Quintero García is a young mother who was arrested during the protest in Guanabacoa for shouting "Freedom! Long live a free Cuba!" from her front porch. Her arrest was carried out violently, and she has been moved to several police stations.
What other recent protests have occurred in Cuba due to similar conditions?
In addition to Guanabacoa, protests have been reported in La Lisa, Río Cauto, and Bayamo, among other places, driven by food shortages, prolonged blackouts, and a severe economic crisis. These protests reflect a growing public discontent over the lack of solutions from the Cuban government.
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