The archipelago opposition group denounced this Tuesday that the “extreme militarization of the streets” and the blockade of more than 100 activists in Cuba prevented the march planned the day before, so they will extend until November 27 protest actions.
The government responded with “extreme militarization of the streets, more than 100 activists besieged, arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, acts of repudiation, violence, threats, coercion and hate speech,” says a statement sent to AFP by Archipelago, the political discussion group that organized the frustrated demonstration on Monday, November 15.
The group, with 30,000 members on and off the island, had called for the march for the release of political prisoners, for citizen rights and democracy, despite the fact that the authorities prohibited that protest and warned of criminal sanctions.
The resurgence of repression against citizens and peaceful protesters is not and will not be accepted, “says the statement, which calls for the demonstration to be extended until November 27 (27N).
As part of the actions, Archipiélago asks its followers to wear white and use white roses as emblems, make individual videos and participate in a “cacerolazo” at night.
On Monday, at least the moderate-line opponent, Manuel Cuesta Morua, was arrested; the leader of the dissident movement Ladies in White, Berta Soler, and her husband, the political express Ángel Moya. The three were released in the early morning, according to what Cuesta himself and the opposition Martha Beatriz Roque informed AFP.
According to Roque, at least seven opponents are still imprisoned in the provinces of Matanzas (west) and Cienfuegos (center).
Historian Carolina Barrero, who had been prevented from leaving her home for 200 days, and Guillermo Fariñas, detained since Friday in the central city of Santa Clara, were also arrested.
The house of the Archipelago’s founder, the 39-year-old playwright Yunior García, was still guarded by the police on Monday, after being prevented on Sunday from making a solo march down a major Havana avenue.
Until this Tuesday there were no messages from him on social networks, nor had the press been able to contact him.
November 27 is the first anniversary of the sit-in of more than 300 young artists in front of the Cuban Ministry of Culture, demanding freedom of expression.
The group continues to demand that “all political prisoners be released”, freedom of expression and assembly rights, an end to acts of repudiation and “all kinds of violence for political reasons.”
The call came after the historic demonstrations that erupted spontaneously on July 11 shouting “Freedom” and “We are hungry”, resulting in one death, dozens injured and 1,270 detainees, of which 658 are still in jail. , according to the human rights NGO Cubalex.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx