When a Cuban bursts into networks upset about things that happen in his country, he can find himself with a problem like the one Amelia Calzadilla has, the 31-year-old from Havana who last week he made a live video complaining about the high prices of electricity and the daily hardships they face to feed their children. Her diatribe went viral and this Monday at 11 she has an appointment at the Cerro Government. She is not the worst, for the moment, the ruling party has placed her on the target over the weekend, insinuating, as usual, that she is financed by someone, in a clear allusion abroad.
After being pointed out by Iroel Sanchez in Cubadebate and by the official troll Guerrero Cubano, who entertained himself by analyzing any element of Calzadilla’s home which, in his opinion, is a symptom of having money, the young woman has exploded again in a message of almost 30 minutes published this Sunday in which she insists in that he has never had the intention of talking about politics, nor has he called for a change of system, nor a coup d’état. “I’m not talking about my political ideology. Have I ever said what my political position is? No. My political position is to be a mother,” she maintains.
“I’m not talking about my political ideology. Have I ever said what my political position is? No. My political position is to be a mother,” she says.
In this sense, he affirms that he would be very saddened if Cuba lost its autonomy. “But not autonomy at the expense of an empty cauldron,” he adds.
Calzadilla summarizes the last days since his video became popular. Members of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Ministry of Internal Trade were at his house to talk about the high prices of electricity and the shortage of gas, without which you cannot cook. Apparently all of them listened carefully and conveyed her support, but after that the accusations against her started.
The young woman affirms that anyone can check, and even demands that it be made public, that she barely has 1.70 on her card in freely convertible currency, about 180 Cuban pesos, and that she has received two recharges on her phone, nothing more. She has also asked all the people who have reached out to her on Facebook to offer help to post their messages stating that she has rejected any proposal.
Calzadilla claims the things she owns, visibly upset, not only because of the scrutiny to which she has been subjected, but because she considers it infamous that Cubans are made to believe that a simple lamp or a ring sold by a self-employed person are luxuries. “This is worth nothing in the world, the people of Cuba do not fully understand that a ceiling lamp is worth nothing, that these are not luxuries, that these are necessities that I do not have to justify.” The young woman has even been accused of visiting the Tropicana.
“Is that a luxury? It’s a cabaret founded before the Revolution for Cubans of all times, of all times, forever. It’s not for foreigners, it’s not for millionaires. In Cuba there are no millionaires, right?” don’t they say that? Why can’t I go?” he protests bitterly.
Calzadilla attacks the Party officials who have not been willing to stop this wave of disrepute that persecutes her and that is costing her parents, both elderly and with pathologies, as well as their children, who have to go to school this Monday. school with the stigma on her mother. In addition, since she began to circulate the video of her, the internet has been cut off and she has to connect through third parties and this Monday her problems could increase after her “interview”. “Maybe it’s to talk about gas or maybe it’s to arrest me, even though I haven’t committed a crime. Where is my crime? I ask you to expose them. I’m telling you that you can check my account statements, go check them out” , it states.
“Maybe it’s to talk about gas or maybe to arrest me, although I haven’t committed a crime. Where is my crime? I ask that they be exposed”
Calzadilla again charges against a government that has been and is incapable of solving the problems of citizens, despite the fact that he emphasizes that his children are among the most fortunate to receive money from the family that lives abroad, but also emphasizes that sometimes it is impossible, even if you have a few pesos, to buy products that simply are not on the island or, when they are found, it is in stores in hard currency.
The young woman also tells that when she has had problems and has gone to complain to the indicated instances, the workers, who are also ordinary Cubans, sadly tell her that they cannot do anything for her. “In the chicken line, in the bakery line, in a bus line, or in the doctor’s office or a medical post… You hear people complaining, but those same people later don’t have the courage to complain about I did it this way. I didn’t make anything, no orchestra, however I want to make a story for myself”, he insists.
Calzadilla attacks those who have defamed her in the ruling party and assures that they are not very brave when they have not even called her or looked her in the face telling her what they were going to say about her before doing so. In addition, she affirms that when she finishes everything she will withdraw from social networks, but she first thanks those who have supported her because, she affirms, she has never felt alone.
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