This is how an opposition member in Cienfuegos responded to a "Long Live Fidel" banner on their street

The opposition member Raúl González publicly denounced that members of the municipal structure of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) in Cienfuegos staged a political provocation by painting a poster with the phrase “Long live Fidel” on a wall near his home, to which he firmly responded by writing underneath the words “the murderer.”

In several videos shared on his Facebook profile, González, identified as a former political prisoner and coordinator of the Citizen Consensus Movement, demonstrated how he reacted to the official slogan, which he claims was placed as a form of direct harassment.

"My house is located next door; the people from the municipal CDR came and staged a provocation," he declared in one of the recordings, while pointing to the wall.

After his first response was deleted by the authorities, González returned to the site to leave a new message: "Long live Fidel… the dictator."

The activist also recorded that moment and shared it with his followers, explaining that he will not allow the regime's attempts at intimidation to go unanswered.

The videos have generated a wave of supportive comments on social media. "You can't fit the balls in your pants," wrote a user.

Meanwhile, another recommended techniques to make the paint difficult to remove: “I know it’s hard to find beeswax, but a bit of burnt oil mixed with diluted tar and beeswax as a base for the paint will make it impossible for anyone to remove, especially with water-based paint or slurries. They will have to tear down the wall,” he indicated.

The phrase "when there are men of dignity, there is salvation for a people in tyranny" was also cited among the comments.

González's response has not only exposed the harassment by the CDR but has also become a symbolic act of civil resistance. In contrast to the official cult surrounding Fidel Castro's figure, the dissident made it clear that he will not be silenced. His message, direct and unambiguous, breaks the silence that the regime seeks to impose.

In July 2024, González live-streamed the threats from a police officer who arrived at his home asking him to accompany her to the police station, but without a court order. This incident occurred after he posted a video denouncing the health crisis in his neighborhood.

A year earlier, he reported that there were no medications to relieve pain at the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital in Cienfuegos, where he was hospitalized due to a heart ailment.

Also, it has called for the freedom of political prisoners, the end of communism, and the hunger and misery in the country.

While the Cuban regime attempted to dress up the 26th of July, one of its most sacred dates, anonymous hands painted giant red letters on the perimeter wall of School 70, located on René Ramos Avenue, in the heart of Reparto Los Olmos, in Santiago de Cuba, posing a chilling question: “Blood or what?”, reflecting the prevailing public discontent.

A week earlier, also in the eastern city, a huge banner with the phrase "DOWN WITH COMMUNISM" and the signature of the Anti-Communist Movement was painted on a wall, which prompted a swift repressive reaction from the authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Civil Resistance and Dissent in Cuba