The night of Saturday, October 1, 2022, will be remembered in our neighborhood of Nuevo Vedado, Havana, as the moment in which we were baptized protesters. More than 100 hours had passed without electricity, after the passage of Hurricane Ian, and around our community we could already see some lights on. The great blackout affected, in addition to numerous private homes, at least four multi-family buildings with 12, 14 and 24 floors, around 5,000 people, making a conservative estimate.
At nine o’clock at night, the same time that a few months ago the most committed people went out to their balconies to applaud the health personnel who were facing the covid-19 pandemic, just when the legendary cannon shot was heard, the first casserole, shy, almost casual. As if it were the fuse that detonates the explosion of long-repressed desire, others followed him for an hour and a half; many, the skeptics verified; too many, officials feared.
Most of those who obtained housing in these buildings built under the microbrigade system had to go through a rigorous verification process to prove that they had a distinguished revolutionary record. The housing distribution regulation required it, using the terminology of “labour and social merits”. In addition, in the secret sections of the reports made by the verifiers, it was noted if the applicant had religious images at home and if she maintained relations with relatives abroad.
The great blackout affected, in addition to numerous private homes, at least four multi-family buildings with 12, 14 and 24 floors, around 5,000 people, making a conservative estimate
Being a member of the Party or the Union of Young Communists, having participated in some internationalist mission, holding a leadership position, constituted considerable advantages even over those who, with less experience, could only claim to have participated directly in the construction of the building. for three, seven, ten or more years.
Of all that process that resulted in the acquisition of a home in one of these buildings, about forty years have passed. In that time, for example, in the 144-apartment building where I live, 52 of those original owners have died, 47 have moved, and 15 have emigrated (not counting their children). Among those of us who remain living in this building, of those who “earned the apartment with our work and social merits”, the average age exceeds 73 years.
It is true that here only the return of the current was demanded, it is true that no cries of freedom were heard nor were those who hold it demanded to leave power, as happened in other neighborhoods of the capital, but it was a massive protest and efficient. Six hours later they restored power. At dawn we were no longer the same.
If what has changed in our neighborhood is an indication of what has changed in the country; If this small territory is just a biopsy where the discomfort of the others is evident, which are more and do not follow a similar trajectory, this should be interpreted as a sign that it is necessary to better calibrate the regressive count, the one that will end the anomaly in that we live.
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