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The Cuban actor Erdwin Fernández Collado reacted on social media to the protests on Friday in Morón, Ciego de Ávila, stating that what happened reflects the accumulated fatigue of the population after years of crisis and ongoing blackouts.
In a post on Facebook, the artist commented on the events but was firm in his stance, stating that solving the problems in Cuba requires drastic measures rather than half-measures or "bilateral agreements."
"Even with the ongoing talks (...) even with economic improvements (...), some oil (...), partial release of political prisoners (...), NOTHING WILL REALLY CHANGE. (...) You won’t be able to protest about anything because you won’t have that right, the streets may improve a bit but they will still belong to the revolutionaries (...) and with that serum of bilateral agreements they will further humiliate you, they will own you. And then with even more strength and arrogance... another 120 years," he stated.
The actor mentioned among the causes of the discomfort the prolonged power outages, which in some areas exceeded 30 hours without service, as well as the impact this has on the daily life of the population.
"With over 30 hours of outages, with food rotting due to lack of energy and extreme exhaustion... something very clear is demonstrated," he wrote.
However, in his post, he questioned that despite announcements of potential economic improvements, investments, or agreements with the United States, the structural situation of the country would continue to be critical due to the regime's control and the deterioration of the energy infrastructure and years of accumulated neglect.
According to Fernández, the thermoelectric plants and other facilities in the electrical system are in very poor condition, making it difficult for any specific measure to immediately resolve the energy crisis.
Regarding his skepticism about political or social changes in the short term announced by the United States, he stated that, in his opinion, Cubans continue to face limitations in publicly expressing their discontent and will continue to do so for "another 120 years" if there are no radical changes.
The artist's statements come after residents of Morón took to the streets on the night of March 13 to protest against power outages and food shortages.
Cuban authorities subsequently reported that five people were detained following the events and stated that they are investigating alleged acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Communist Party and other establishments.
The protests and reactions on social media reflect the growing social discontent in various areas of the country, amid a deep economic and energy crisis that is causing prolonged blackouts in numerous provinces of the island.
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