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The Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer demanded the immediate release of those detained following the protests that took place this week in the municipality of Baire, Santiago de Cuba, where dozens of residents took to the streets to demand food, electricity, and freedom amid prolonged blackouts.
In a post on his Facebook profile, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) reported the detention of the nurse Humberto Nieto Sierra and the pediatrician Erlis Sierra Gómez, whom he identified as victims of the political repression unleashed by the regime following the demonstrations on October 16.
“I have been informed that nurse Humberto Nieto Sierra was arrested by the political police in Baire, Santiago de #Cuba, for keeping alive the spirit of rebellion against the Castro-communist tyranny. The persecution of the demonstrators from the night of the 16th of this month continues. It is crucial to denounce and provide support with resources to the families of those detained and persecuted,” wrote Ferrer.
It was also reported that among those arrested is Dr. Erlis Sierra Gómez, a pediatrician and father of two girls, who was transferred in handcuffs from Contramaestre to Santiago de Cuba after being detained on Friday morning, as reported by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada.
According to the testimony of her mother, Ania Gómez, agents of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR) arrived at their home in the El Transformador neighborhood and asked the doctor to accompany them "for a conversation."
However, upon arriving at the police station, he was arrested along with another neighbor and taken through the back of the building.
“I am desperate, I don't know anything about him. My son did not touch any cauldron or harm anyone. He only asked for solutions for the community,” the woman stated in a video shared on social media.
Subsequently, the agents informed the family that Erlis was transferred to the Operations Unit of the Ministry of the Interior in Santiago de Cuba, without allowing contact with lawyers or family visits.
Erlis Sierra had become one of the most visible faces of the protests in Baire, after a video was circulated in which he peacefully demanded that local authorities provide solutions to the lack of water, food, and electricity, reminding them that the Cuban Constitution recognizes freedom of expression.
“I am not afraid to go, because the Constitution clearly states that I have freedom of expression”, one can hear him say in the video that has been circulating on social media since Thursday.
During the night of October 16, dozens of neighbors banged pots and shouted "Freedom!" and "Down with Díaz-Canel!" amidst a blackout that lasted for more than 30 hours.
Shortly afterward, the regime cut off internet access and deployed police troops and State Security agents to quell the protests.
In addition to Sierra and Nieto, local activists reported the arrest of Osmani Heredia and several residents from the most active neighborhoods of Baire. Testimonies agree that the political police are conducting a “hunts for protesters” with citations, threats, and constant surveillance.
Until now, Cuban authorities have not provided official information about those detained or the charges against them. State media have not mentioned the protests or the arrests that took place in Santiago de Cuba.
On social media, the case of the pediatrician has sparked a wave of solidarity under the hashtag #FreeErlisSierra. Users both inside and outside the island, along with human rights organizations, are demanding his release and denouncing the systematic use of repression against peaceful protesters.
"Erlis is a doctor, a father, and a citizen. His only crime was to speak with dignity," wrote a user on X (Twitter), while Ferrer reiterated his call to the international community to "denounce the abuses and support the families of those detained."
The Baire protests, in the eastern part of the country, are the most significant recorded in Santiago de Cuba since July 11, 2021.
They occur amid a severe economic and energy crisis that has caused power outages of more than 20 hours, scarcity of water and food, and outbreaks of diseases in several provinces.
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