Spokespersons linked to the Cuban official apparatus have come out to deny that during the protests in Morón a young man was shot, despite a video circulating on social media showing a boy being urgently transported by demonstrators.
The statements are part of a narrative driven by official profiles and state media that seek to downplay what happened and present the accusations as a supposed campaign of manipulation against the government.
One of the first to speak out was Carlos Pérez, who stated on Facebook that what happened was simply a "disturbance" that has been controlled, and denied that the young man appearing in the video is a victim of repression.
"The young man they are now trying to portray as a 'victim' was, ironically, one of those who led the chaos. While attempting to tear down the party's banner, he ended up falling," he stated.
Pérez also stated that the boy was taken to the hospital by his classmates on a motorcycle and that he is receiving medical attention "without complications."
He also insisted that the images circulated on social media would be part of a political setup.
"It was not a spontaneous event. The images clearly show it: everything was orchestrated... seeking a spectacle that could later be exploited from the outside," he pointed out.
Official journalists repeat the narrative
The same version was replicated by the government journalist Francisnet Díaz Rondón, who also used his profile on Facebook to deny that a shot was fired at a protester.
"The lie has spread that a child was shot, but there were no injuries from gunfire. The shots were fired into the air to disperse the uprising," he said.
"The boy they are trying to victimiz was one of those responsible for the disturbances. While attempting to tear off the Party's identification, he fell," he stated.
In her post, she insisted that the report of the shot is part of a manipulation.
"The image shows the scene of the protest, but it is important for the people to know the truth: no one was injured by gunfire," he concluded.
State media repeats the same argument
The official narrative was further reinforced by the state newspaper Vanguardia, which published a message on X insisting that it is all part of a manipulation.
"The truth is clear: there were no injuries from gunfire. The shots were fired into the air to disperse the uprising," the newspaper stated.
The tweet also emphasizes that the young man was injured after falling while participating in the unrest and was taken to the hospital by other protesters.
An attempt to deny what happened
The statements from these three sources closely echo the same official version: that there were no shots fired at the protesters and that the injured youth hurt himself in a fall.
However, a video circulating on social media shows a different scene: a seemingly injured young man is being carried by several protesters who urgently lift him onto a motorcycle.
The images show a shirtless young man, thin and youthful in appearance, being carried amidst the shouts of those trying to help him.
The contrast with the photograph later released by official media has raised suspicions.
In the image published by the government's propaganda machine, a young man is depicted, dressed, with a more robust physique and seemingly more mature than the boy in the video.
The physical differences between the two—clothing, body build, and apparent age—have led many to question whether they are really the same person or if it is an attempt to create an alternative version of events.
For many social media users, the contrast between the images suggests an improvised setup aimed at discrediting reports that a protester was shot.
A situation that has hit rock bottom
Reports about the injured young man emerged following the protests that took place on Friday night in Morón.
During those demonstrations, groups of residents took to the streets to protest against power outages, food shortages, and the severe economic crisis facing the country.
Videos shared on social media show residents marching through various areas of the city while shouting slogans of "Freedom!" and engaging in pot-banging protests.
In one of the recordings, a moment is captured where several protesters carry a young man who appears to be injured as they try to move him quickly to receive medical attention.
The activist Magdiel Castro shared the images and warned that there were reports suggesting the boy might be underage.
Independent journalist José Raúl Gallego also reported that the young man was allegedly shot by a police officer while he was near a campfire in front of the municipal headquarters of the Communist Party.
According to their reports, during the disturbances, the local party headquarters was also set on fire, and several bicycles used by police officers were burned.
Another video shows that the protest later moved towards the police station, where women and young people stood their ground shouting "Freedom!".
Protests are occurring amid a growing climate of social unrest in Cuba, marked by prolonged blackouts, food shortages, and a general deterioration of living conditions.
In that context, the government's attempts to deny the gunfire and present alternative versions of the events are part of a strategy to discredit the accusations and project an image of normalcy following a day of significant tensions.
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