Thousands of people have taken to the streets in rare anti-government protests in Cuba, where the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis are spurring frustrations, with some demonstrators chanting “down with the dictatorship” and “we want liberty.”
At a protest on Sunday in San Antonio de los Banos, a town of some 50,000 people southwest of Havana, mainly young people shouted insults against President Miguel Diaz-Canel, according to videos posted online.
“We are not afraid,” some said.
“I just walked through town looking to buy some food and there were lots of people there, some with signs, protesting,” local resident Claris Ramirez told the Reuters news agency by phone.
“They are protesting blackouts, that there is no medicine,” she added.
Thousands of people also gathered in downtown Havana and along parts of the seaside drive amid a heavy police presence, while protests took place later in the day in Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba.The demonstrations came as Cuba is experiencing its toughest phase yet of the coronavirus crisis, and the same day it reported a new daily record of infections and deaths.
Social anger has been driven by long food lines and a critical shortage of medicines since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, with Cuba under United States sanctions.
Diaz-Canel late on Sunday afternoon addressed the nation, accusing the US of being responsible for the unrest.
He warned that further “provocations” would not be tolerated.
Havana-based journalist Ed Augustin said there was a heavy police presence in the capital. He said Diaz-Canel in his speech to the country called on people who support the Cuban revolution to come out to defend it.
“These are the biggest protests in Cuba for decades,” Augustin told Media
