Mass protests in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo against the rule of Miguel Díaz-Canel

The Cuban people have been suffering for months Severe energy crisis and shortage of basic food and medicine supplies. This is the frustration of the residents of this Sunday Santiago de CubaThe country's second largest city and Bayamo, They condemned this and decided to take to the streets and protest Miguel Diaz-Canel rule And to demand an answer to the deficit.

The protest began this Sunday afternoon on the central Carrera del Morro Avenue and 9th Street in Vequita de Gallo in Santiago de Cuba. Then, as hours passed, they moved to other areas such as Payamo.

Local journalist Yosmani Mayeda shared a video in which dozens of people can be seen gathering in the middle of a public street and chanting “Walking and Eating” in Santiago. Similarly, in another video, people are heard shouting “Homeland and Life”A phrase that became an anthem of sorts during the historic struggles of 2021.

Portal Cybercuba He also informed that authorities have sent police to control the protesters. For its part, in the middle 14ymedio Some of Holguin's major parks are also reported to have been militarized by regime officials.

“There are dozens of motorcycle officers, plainclothes agents and patrolmen, except for cars loaded with red berets,” a city resident told the media. And he added: “From the Santiago demonstrations in Holguin they expect something or fearful consequences.”

As happens every time there is a mass demonstration of some kind, the regime also cut off communications and internet access to prevent the world from observing what was happening.

Prisoners are guardsAn NGO monitoring human rights in Cuba warned “International pressure is critical to avoid a test” like the one on July 11.

“2024 begins when the authorities realize that the pressure on the people of Cuba has become unbearable, leading to a cycle of mass protests again, even after the enormous repression that the people already know they will have to endure.” , based in Madrid, warned in its report published on January 13.

In Bayamo, for their part, protesters chanted “Down with Thiaz Canal” and “United people will never be defeated”.

The situation is dangerous. Recently, authorities sought the help of the United Nations Food Aid Program to ensure subsidized milk powder for children. The organization, which specializes in “emergencies” and “food aid,” confirmed that “this is the first time Cuba has requested support by issuing an official communication to the highest level of WFP management.” sometime.

Cuba has had a milk shortage for yearsGenerally children under 7 years of age (and those with special diets) can count on a supply book (ration card) at a more subsidized rate (2.5 cents per kilogram, 21 cents on the dollar) per month. .

But in the last few months, the availability of government milk has deteriorated significantly. Some provinces have reduced the priority population or scaled back distribution, while others have begun distributing vitamin drinks as alternatives.

In the face of these difficulties, liquid and powdered milk can be found in some companies in the growing private sector in Cuba, but at prices that are out of reach for most Cubans.

For increasing hunger and poverty, Added energy and water emergency on Caribbean island. On the other hand, the persecution of dissent increases every day.

The Cuban government itself acknowledged last February that a shortage of wheat flour meant it could not guarantee subsidized bread from the basic basket until the end of March.

The island imports 80% of its consumption. In recent years, Cuba has closed deals with allies such as Russia guaranteeing the entry of wheat flour to make bread, a staple in the Cuban diet.

In addition to appealing to the UN, the Castro dictatorship also turned to its key partners to defuse the crisis. In the past few hours, Russia has sent a ship to the island with 650,000 barrels of crude oil – nearly $50 million – to deal with the energy crisis. day

The Cuban regime has recently claimed that the problems with electricity generation are partly explained by the reduction in crude oil imports from allied countries. Although the island administrator did not mention it by name, Maritime traffic monitoring data points to Venezuela and Russia in this area.

Images of this Sunday's protests are a quick reminder Historic demonstrations of July 11, 2021, the day thousands of Cubans rallied in many cities across the country to demand better living conditions and freedom. What they received, however, was a brutal response from the Castro dictatorship, which arrested dissidents, suppressed protests, and continues its crackdown on dissent to this day.