Havana Cuba. — A gang of criminals assault a bus in Ciego de Ávila to steal luggage. The police of the territory know about the fact, but do not pursue the thieves.
In the fields, the theft of crops and animals from peasants increases. Even NTV, so timid, recently referred to the issue.
In the cities, the motorcycle thefts and cell phones, assaults and robberies with violence in houses are the daily bread. Even clashes between groups of criminals are becoming increasingly visible.
There is an alarming increase in femicides. The murder of a teenager inside the police unit where you went to ask for help is just a sample button.
Even without public statistics, it is perceived that there is an increase in crime in the country. However, the authorities do like the ostrich: if there are no statistics, there is no problem.
What about the police? Where is?
“If the government and the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) control everything, what happens?” a young criminologist tells me, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
The expert maintains that “when the state begins to break down, the number of criminals increases. First, in high places, with corruption, and later, in the other levels of the social scale”.
“For a long time, the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) was feared, but not despised,” the criminologist tells me.
“As power is diluted, the rules mutate. The situation in the PNR has changed, and it is itself malleable to the direct corruption of its agents. It’s not that she wasn’t before, but now she’s sharpened. How do the policemen live? They have problems similar to those of other Cubans. Do you think they wouldn’t want to emigrate too?” the source questions.
Longstanding opponents know that they have rarely been directly confronted by the PNR. They were confronted by the “inflamed people”, that is, thugs, lumpen, informers and PCC militants who were directed by State Security or G2.
Many opponents say that, on occasions, the PNR officers resisted complying with the orders of State Security.
That of “Police, you are my friend” brutally collapsed the days July 11 and 12, 2021. During that day, the regime directly used the PNR to quell peaceful demonstrations, and incited violent acts that culminated in fatal incidents, including one death and hundreds injured. And the worst came later, when the uniformed officers went door to door arresting those who participated in the demonstrations. The raid resulted in hundreds of political prisoners and many others sentenced to minor fines and penalties. Likewise, dozens of activists were pressured to leave the country.
Given the police ineffectiveness, there is talk of the creation of peasant patrols to protect crops and livestock.
Several months ago, in Juraguá, Granma province, some rustlers murdered farmer Yordany Díaz in his conuco when he confronted them.
A friend who lives in a marginal neighborhood of Bayamo tells me that before the horses grazed on the riverbank all night, but today they have to sleep almost inside the house so they don’t get stolen.
“When an animal is killed, the police only give a paper to remove it from the census. They don’t even try to stop the thieves, or even investigate”, he explains.
As the social and economic crisis increases, the police have fewer and fewer tools to protect citizens. His priority is to protect the interests of the ruling caste.
