‘I am Fidel’: Students armed with sticks marching in the streets of Havana as Cubans demanded ‘light’ and ‘freedom’

Students from the Military Technical Institute (ITM), in Havana, armed with sticks, paraded Friday night through the municipality of Playa, where protests Cubans switched from demanding that electricity be restored after several days of blackouts to demanding freedom.

In two videos sent by Carlos Anibal Alonso, director of the independent magazine, to DIARIO DE CUBA RealtaStudents of the said center can be seen walking down 41st Street, having turned around at Interchange 66A, chanting pro-regime slogans.

“I’m Fidel.” “Long live Raúl” and “Fencerimos” were some of the phrases chanted by the cadets, as well as verses by José Martí such as “Don’t put me in the dark to die as a traitor, I’m fine as much as I will.” Die in the face of the sun.”

According to Alonzo, These young people were taken out to quell the protests that took place on the 31st and 66th in the Playa municipality of Havana this friday.

The sticks in the hands of these young men contrast with the pictures Thursday and Friday demonstrations in the Cuban capitalwhere citizens are seen blocking streets, demanding electricity and, in some cases, freedom, but without carrying anything intended for physical abuse.

Videos sent by Alonso to DIARIO DE CUBA remind citizens that during the demonstrations that erupted in July 2021 in several cities in Cuba, official groups armed with sticks and other sharp objects were taken to the scene, Repression of those who demanded “freedom”..

There were many protesters Those wounded “rebels” who responded to the “combat order” of Miguel Diaz-Canel. None of them have undergone a judicial process. The Penal Code Which will take effect on December 1, protect regime followers who engage in the suppression of dissidents and critical citizens.

A video posted on Twitter by journalist Jose Raul Gallego on September 30 showed A row of military trucks transporting civilians, likely to the places where hundreds of Cubans demonstrated During Thursday and Friday, to demand an end to the 72-hour blackout, but also, in several cases, freedom.

Last August, after protests in several cities in the country due to power outages, The Cuban regime demonstrated rapid reaction brigades on social networks.

in Holguin, The regime began mobilizing and packing all the uniforms on ThursdayEven if they are sick or in a sick conditionFearing that citizens would be affected by the manifestations of popular discontent that occurred in the island’s capital during the past two days.

“They came yesterday afternoon to look for my husband, even though he was not working because he was suspected of having dengue fever. They pick up all the police officers, even if it is not their turn and even if they are sick. The wife of a police officer told Diario de Cuba, who preferred, for security reasons. Not revealing details about her identity.

In spite of Post intended to intimidate CubansPublic demonstrations of boredom continue.

Cerro’s neighbors protested for several hours this Saturday due to the lack of water and electricityDiario de Cuba immediately confirmed. First, they banned vehicular traffic in Calzada del Cerro and Churuca. After the police intervened, a group of them moved to a Manila park to set off the sound of pots.

Adela Johnson, an elderly woman residing in Parque de Manila, said they got pregnant “Five days without water or electricity“.

“Nobody came here,” complained the old woman. “We are not animals, here are children and elderly patients, and someone will have to hear the pots and send a brigade to repair the damage and turn on the light,” he added.

In the group of protesters, a woman who seemed to have a certain command insisted: “We won’t leave here until they turn on the light.”

Those participating in the protests included people of all ages, mostly women and young people. they were Surrounded by police, security officers, and plainclothes agents, they were silently photographing protesters.

Friday night, in addition to the protests reported in Arroyo Narango, Pointes Grandes, Guanabaqua, Playa and Vedado, There was a demonstration on Avenida Boyeros, in front of Terminal 2 at Jose Martí International Airportto me Video posted on Facebook By user Jorge Felix Higue Cabrales.

In the pictures, a police patrol can be seen, which has retreated before A crowd of Cubans block the streets, yelling “Light the tide.”