Cuban opponents call for cacerolazos after march repressed by communist regime

A group that called a march that could not be carried out due to the repressive measures of the communist regime in Cuba He called for new protest actions such as touching pans at night, dressing in white or bringing flowers to the hero José Martí.

Archipelago, an online platform created by playwright Yunior García and which had urged Cubans to march the day before, said in a statement that it intends to continue its activism until November 27 with new measures.

“The Cuban government has responded to our demands as a dictatorship does: extreme militarization of the streets, more than 100 activists besieged, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, acts of repudiation, violence, threats, coercion and hate speech,” wrote the group on your Facebook page. “The resurgence of repression against citizens and peaceful protesters is not and will not be accepted.”

García and Archipelago had called citizens to the streets for Monday 15 in nine cities of the country after requesting an authorization in September, arguing that the constitution protected their right to express themselves. But the government denied permission, accusing the group of being part of a US-led and funded “operation” to destroy the revolution.

The march was classified as illegal and the Prosecutor’s Office warned the organizers of the consequences, who had persisted in their measure.

The day before the main cities of the country had some police control and at the doors of the houses of some activists -such as García himself- there was custody of State security officials, but the protests that the activists asked the population were not held either. like taking white sheets to the balconies and portals or applauding at three in the afternoon, the scheduled time for the failed march.

Instead, the movement of people was fluid and parks and squares were taken over by groups of government supporters – some of whom also stationed themselves near the homes of opponents – to celebrate the reopening of the country with music and clowns. The restart of international flights, the presence of classes and a greater provision of public transport is carried out by virtue of an improvement in the sanitary conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the absence of street demonstrations, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez considered it a “failed operation.”

Instead, social networks and especially many young people published photos with white clothes or anti-government expressions. In fact, Archipelago is a platform mostly followed and directed by Cubans under 40 who were born and trained in the framework of the revolutionary process.

Some of the people that Archipelago said had been detained on Monday were released, such as Julio Ledón Iglesias, but others such as activist Daniela Rojo, 26, have not been able to be contacted, presuming their arrest, the group said.

The marches were intended to be a continuation of the July protests, when thousands of people came out without any leadership. One person died, dozens were arrested and acts of vandalism were recorded.