The reporter of 14ymedio Luz Escobar received this Friday a summons from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior to appear at a Juvenile Office in Havana at two in the afternoon. “They summon me to minors so that it does not appear that State Security is summoning me,” he explains.
She is not the only one who is being harassed by the political police, three days before the Civic March for Change called by the Archipelago platform. Yadiris Luis Fuentes, journalist from DNA Cuba, was also cited this same day in the capital, and so did the chef Raúl Hernández González Bazuk, owner of the private restaurant Grados, who has expressed himself in his networks in favor of the initiative.
Henry Constantín, director of The Hour of Cuba, reported to this newspaper from Camagüey that he was summoned by the Telecommunications Company (Etecsa) and a fine of 3,000 pesos was imposed on him for some of his posts on Facebook. Among them, according to the journalist himself in networks, are critical expressions against Decree Law 35 – criticized by the United Nations due to the possibility that it could be used to curtail freedom of expression– and publications in favor of 15N.
In Santa Clara, activists Víctor Ruiz and Omar Mena were arrested, according to the latter’s wife, Leidy Laura Hernandez, and taken to a police station. “I ask all my friends to go there to worry about their situation, since they have just been arbitrarily detained without any justification,” the young woman wrote on her networks.
Archipelago specifies that its promoters have received at least 54 attacks since mid-August
“The sector chief of Briones Montoto, in Pinar del Río, has just left my house,” denounced, for his part, Alexeys White. “He told me to come with him and I refused.” The young man, who belongs to the Archipelago group in that province, fears “reprisals.”
Like them, there are many, and not only opponents, journalists or members of an independent organization, but ordinary citizens, who are suffering these days a resurgence of the siege of State Security, in a desperate attempt by the Government to prevent that join the peaceful protests.
Archipelago specifies that its promoters have received at least 54 attacks. “Since the call for the Civic March was made public in mid-August, the island’s regime systematized the acts of harassment against activists and members of the Archipelago group. Since then, with the support of its repressive and propaganda apparatus, the harassment and attacks have not stopped “, regret on your facebook page.
“I think there has not been an activist who has not been knocked on the door with a police summons, a threat, blackmail or a suggestion that he go on a trip,” the curator and art historian Carolina told the Spanish agency Efe. Barrero, who details that in each particular case, “they have looked for a way to persuade him not to leave the 15N”.
Known for her critical stance towards the government, Barrero has spent more than 200 days with political police officers posted 24 hours in front of her portal to prevent her from going out on the streets.
In the case of Luz Escobar, for example, the strategy is to use her family to threaten her. “It is not the first time that State Security has tried to involve my daughters in the scheme they have used to repress me for my journalistic work,” says the reporter, who has been warned by agents in the past not to “involve them. in counterrevolution because I can go to jail and go years without seeing them. “
For the Miami-based organization Cubalex, a strong campaign to deter the march declared “illegal” by the government is taking place.
“They are setting the hot zones,” a passerby says sarcastically as he observes the stalls of San Rafael, where prices are astronomical
“The main complaints we have received are for the police summons and interrogations of people who have publicly said that they are going to participate in 15N, especially those who have signed the letter of public support, who are receiving systematic harassment,” he told Efe Laritza Diversent, director of Cubalex.
In these interrogations, Diversent continued, “the most typical thing is the threat that they will be prosecuted if they leave; also the warning not to associate with people who are related to the organizers or who have publicly stated that they are going to participate.”
Meanwhile, in the streets, despite having announced the “celebrations” for the 502 anniversary of the founding of Havana for Monday, the authorities are setting up stages, markets and music from this Friday.
Specifically, as this newspaper could prove, on the Boulevard de San Rafael, in the Parque del Curita, in the Parque Trillo and in G and 23. All of them, neuralgic points during the demonstration on July 11, and where they are setting up stages with music blasting out on large speakers. Nobody dances.
“They are setting the hot zones,” a passerby says sarcastically as he observes the stalls in San Rafael, where prices are astronomical. For example, for some disposable razor blades they ask for 60 pesos, and for two triple A batteries, 150. “There is no one there celebrating or celebrating anything,” says a neighbor who lives in Vedado. “They are just buying the few things they are selling there.”
23rd Avenue is being taken over by plainclothes agents. In particular, the presence of these at the intersection of that road with J, where El Quijote Park is located, from where Yunior García Aguilera, one of the leaders of the Archipelago, announced that he would go out to march “alone” this Sunday.
Also, days after 14ymedio report the lack of buses in the capital, The number of these vehicles observed this Friday is staggering. The consequence is that, unlike what is usual, there are no crowds at the stops. Nor are there, contrary to the daily trend, large queues in shops.
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