In Cuba, feeding a hungry person can land you in prison

Six in the morning. On B Street, between Madre Vieja and Zamorana, Zamorana neighborhood, Santiago de Cuba, several agents of the political police arrive before dawn with a purpose: to arrest Michael Mediaceja Ramos, a member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and a political prisoner on two occasions. What is his crime? Feeding people who are suffering from extreme hunger.

The solidarity of the neighbors thwarted the arrest. Michael climbed onto the roof of his home and from there faced the oppressors with courage and dignity.

"I am not doing anything wrong. I am just feeding people who are hungry," he said to them. The agents, aware that they were being filmed, fell silent. They tried to chase him, but Michael managed to escape across the rooftops.

At their home, everything was already prepared for the midday meal. Every day, malnourished elderly individuals, sick people, and desperate families arrive there. Whether they can receive a plate of food depends on the dedication of Michael, his wife, his mother, and several neighbors who cook and serve even amidst extreme scarcity and challenges.

When Michael informed me of what had happened, I asked him not to return home immediately. It was important to demonstrate that solidarity does not rely on a single person and that, even in his absence, his family and neighbors would continue to feed those in need.

At noon, as dozens of people gathered, the agents of the political police returned. They threatened to intervene using police forces because, as they claimed, the distribution of food lacked legal authorization. What an abomination! In a country where so many have nothing to eat, the repressive apparatus attempts to turn a meal into a matter of national security.

Throughout the day, nearly three hundred people came seeking food. Many of them, far from being intimidated, bravely advocated for the continuation of this humanitarian effort. Our activists adhere to hygiene and food safety measures. They will also seek authorization from the relevant authorities, although we have ample reasons to fear that it will be denied.

An administrative requirement should not be used as a tool for political punishment or as an excuse to deprive the hungry of food. Our determination is to continue this peaceful work, ensuring the safety of all.

In the United States, food banks and community kitchens operate with support from citizens, churches, and organizations. In Spain, laws promote food donations. In the United Kingdom, authorities provide health guidelines for community groups that prepare and distribute food. There are public health standards and, in some cases, registration requirements; what should not exist is a police force pursuing those who feed a sick elderly woman.

For UNPACU, this persecution is not new.

For years, our social kitchens and medical assistance have been targets of threats, assaults, detentions, and confiscations. In Santiago de Cuba, we managed to feed more than 1,200 people every day. How did the regime respond? With police cordons, obstacles for suppliers, and operations against homes and offices of our organization.

They took food and medicine; stoves, pots, cauldrons, spoons, forks, knives, refrigerators, and whatever they found along the way. In my own home, they even took the toys of my small children. Among the affected homes and businesses were those of Carlos Amel Oliva Torres, Carlos Oliva Rivera, Ovidio Martín Castellano, Miraida Martín, and myself, José Daniel Ferrer García, along with other activists.

Today we continue, with necessary discretion in the face of repression, at three locations in Santiago de Cuba, as well as in Guantánamo, Bayamo, Holguín, and Havana. More than 800 people are receiving food daily thanks to this effort. In Havana, Bayamo, and Holguín, part of the assistance is delivered directly to homes, while another portion is distributed individually on the streets, even to those rummaging through garbage and to individuals with mental disorders who survive by begging.

Even that discretion has not prevented abuses. The activist Reynier Calderón Socarrás has suffered several detentions and beatings for providing food to those in need.

Meanwhile, elderly individuals are dying without enough food, adequate medical care, or essential medicines. Thousands of children, mothers, and entire families are suffering from severe food deprivation. In the face of such tragedy, the authorities' response should be to open all possible avenues for assistance, including help from abroad. Instead, they pursue those who are trying to save lives.

In response to the question of what kind of power fears a pot of food, the answer is painfully clear: one that considers independent solidarity to be dangerous.

Let no one have doubts: UNPACU will continue to feed the most vulnerable. We do this thanks to two generous Cubans who share, with great sacrifice, what they can. We owe them our gratitude; to our activists, our admiration; and to those who are hungry, unconditional solidarity. Because feeding the hungry is not a crime: it is a human duty. And no dictatorship will prevent us from fulfilling our duty as Christians.

Moreover, we maintain our thesis that without a strong humanitarian commitment to our most needy compatriots, the struggle for freedom lacks a solid foundation.