In a video posted on her Instagram account, Cuban actress Anniet Forte recounted an incident that took place in the capital, where she witnessed a "very pronounced act of racism."
"On Friday, December 12, I witnessed an act of discrimination. Yes, yes, right here in Havana. A young man and his girlfriend were not allowed to enter a place because they were Black," reported the content creator in a video that quickly sparked reactions among her followers.
Forte explained that she was able to enter the establishment without a reservation, while the couple was turned away.
"I had not made a reservation and could get in. A lot of people passed in front of us who also hadn't reserved because they were my friends. And I asked them, 'Do you have a reservation?' 'No,' they said," she recounted, highlighting that the establishment's excuse had no basis.
The actress also pointed out that, after making her complaint public, the establishment posted a message on social media claiming that they had received people "of all colors" that night, which she described as a "cynical response" to what happened.
"If I hadn't witnessed the humiliation they were subjecting that young man to, I would have believed it. But the truth is, I saw it," he said, insisting that racism remains a problem in Cuba and should not be minimized under any circumstances.
Forte also lamented that, following her complaint, several people reached out to her sharing similar experiences at the same location and involving the same employee implicated in the act of discrimination.
"Racism is no less harmful for being selective. It is the same prejudice exercised by someone in a position of power," she stated. "I will not be lukewarm in the face of such humiliation. And I will not be tolerant of any kind of discrimination," she said.
Although he mentioned the name of the venue during a live broadcast, in his recent post he chose to omit this detail, despite numerous users asking him to reveal the name of the establishment to promote a boycott on social media.
So far, the business administrators have not provided an official response to the allegations on Anniet Forte's page.
Acts of racial discrimination remain a sensitive issue in Cuba, where activists and artists have denounced the persistence of structural prejudices in various areas of public and private life.
Authorities have proclaimed that racism was "eradicated" after the Revolution, yet multiple voices both inside and outside the country argue that reality is far from that narrative.
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