The official Cuban press has presented a version that downplays the protests that took place in the last few hours in Morón, Ciego de Ávila, describing them as "vandalistic acts" and a "disorder" caused by a manipulated group.
The Invasor Newspaper, the informational body of that province, published a report on Facebook in which it characterized the events as an isolated incident that has already been controlled by the authorities, and that resulted in five arrests.
“ATTENTION CIEGO DE ÁVILA! ATTENTION, CUBA!” begins the message disseminated by the state media, which claims that in the city “a disturbance occurred that has now been controlled, when a group -manipulated and guided- vandalized the headquarters of the Municipal Committee of the Party.”
According to the state media, the people who took to the streets did so with demands related to the crisis the country is facing.
“At midnight this Saturday, a group of people, mostly residents of the El Vaquerito popular council, moved through various streets of the city of Morón… making demands primarily related to the energy situation and access to food products,” reported the outlet, which acknowledged that the protests began without violence.
"What initially unfolded peacefully, and following discussions with local authorities, led to vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Committee of the Party," the source added.
The press outlet reported that "a smaller group of individuals threw stones at the entrance of the property and caused a fire in the public street with the reception furniture."
The note also mentions damage to other establishments in the city, "including a pharmacy and a point of sale from the Tiendas Caribe chain”.
Regarding the young man who appears injured in videos circulated on social media, the state media maintained that it was not a police aggression.
“The young man who they are now trying to present as a 'victim' was, ironically, one of those who led the disorder,” states the text, which emphasized that the injury was a result of a fall that occurred while he was trying to tear down a Party poster.
"While trying to tear down the party banner, he ended up falling and, with the help of his fellow comrades, was taken by motorcycle to the hospital, where he received medical attention without complications."
The publication insists that the events would have been orchestrated for propaganda purposes
"It was not a spontaneous event. The images clearly show it: everything was orchestrated, from the very recording, with open incitements to disorder and violence, seeking a spectacle that would later be exploited from the outside."
The text also resorts to the usual argument of state propaganda regarding an alleged manipulation from abroad.
"From outside the country, the same old enemies repeat their script, falsely accusing the Cuban government and using the same tired slogans."
And he adds that within Cuba, some people are embracing that narrative:
"Some few within seek to join the chorus of manipulation, serving the interests of others who want to disrupt the peace and halt the progress of conversations between Cuba and the United States."
Finally, the outlet reports that the situation in the city is already under control.
"Now in Morón, everything is calm. The people of Avileño, with their strength and awareness, have responded with unity, serenity, and revolutionary commitment."
The message concluded with a political slogan typical of the official discourse: “NO TO VIOLENCE, NO TO MANIPULATION! NOBODY WILL SUCCEED IN DIVIDING CUBANS OR STAINING THE DIGNITY OF THOSE WHO DEFEND THE TRUTH.”
After the publication of Invasor, several profiles and official communicators echoed that version.
Among them is the journalist Francisnet Díaz Rondón, who echoed the report and shared on social media the narrative of the state media regarding the alleged "vandalism."
In another post, Díaz Rondón joined in refuting the claims of the young man who was shot.
At the same time, profiles linked to local institutions circulated images of empty streets to convey a sense of normalcy.
“In #Morón citizen tranquility at this hour”, wrote Alejandro Cosme Quiñones on social media, who according to his Facebook profile works at the Municipal Directorate of Culture in the municipality and posted videos of the empty and calm streets of Morón.
Showing photographs of areas with no activity to suggest that the situation is under control is a recurring tactic of the Cuban regime's propaganda apparatus amid protests or episodes of social tension.
Videos show a young man allegedly injured by gunfire
The images that have circulated on social media tell a very different story.
A video shared in recent hours showed the moment when several protesters carried a young man who appeared to be injured and loaded him onto a motorcycle to quickly take him for medical attention.
Independent journalist José Raúl Gallego stated on his Facebook profile that the young man had been shot by a police officer during the clashes.
According to their report, the shot struck the boy in the thigh while he was near a lit campfire in front of the municipal headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), one of the locations where the protests were concentrated.
Gallego himself also reported that during the disturbances, the local headquarters of the PCC was set on fire and several bicycles used by police officers were burned.
Other reports shared on social media indicate that special forces deployed in the area may have released dogs against the protesters in order to disperse the gathering.
In recent hours, numerous videos have circulated on social media showing chants of "Freedom!" and clanging pots and pans as groups of residents walked through the streets of the municipality.
Other reports disseminated by activists indicate that, following the initial clashes, the demonstration moved towards the city police station.
The protests in Morón are taking place amid growing social unrest due to prolonged blackouts, food shortages, and the deterioration of living conditions in the country.
Filed under: