'We are no longer afraid': Thousands of Cubans protest against conditions on island

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets of multiple provinces around the Caribbean island this Sunday in an unusual protest in which civilians shouted slogans against the communist government such as “We want freedom” and “We are no longer afraid.”

The demonstrations come at a time when Cuba faces the worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, an increase in repression against political opponents and a strained health system during a critical stage of the COVID-pandemic. Health authorities reported almost 7,000 new cases and 47 deaths — a new record of infections and deaths on the island of just over 11 million people.

In Miami, hundreds of people gathered in SW 8th Street in Little Havana, in solidarity with the growing protests in Cuba. “I know my family in Cuba is struggling people are dying. It’s terrible,” said Miami resident Christian Guzmán, speaking to NBC local station WTVJ.

“Right now it’s hard. There’s no food there’s no medicine. The COVID outbreak. The whole country is in the streets,” said Darío Suárez.

In Cuba, the protests began in the early afternoon in the municipality of San Antonio de los Baños, in the Artemisa province, adjacent to Havana. A few hours later they had spread to the east of the country, in provinces such as Santiago de Cuba.

The central Malecón of the capital, where in August of 1994 Cubans staged a historic protest against former leader Fidel Castro that was violently repressed, also saw hundreds of protesters gathered this Sunday.

Cubans in several provinces contacted by Noticias Telemundo confirmed that the government, which controls the only internet provider company on the island, has caused service outages to prevent live broadcasts.