Cubans are losing their fear. We want change.

On Sunday, Cubans came out to the streets in more than 50 towns and cities and raised their voices to call for an end to the dictatorship. Unprecedented scenes took place across the island — although you would have been excused if you thought you were watching protests anywhere else in Latin America. The region has been a hotbed of discontent in recent months, but Cuba has been suffering for a long time while biting its tongue.

The flame that set up the protests had been flickering for a while. Sparks have flown since last year, the social discontent more apparent than usual. It happened with the San Isidro Movement demonstrations, the actions of the 27N Movement and other isolated incidents of violence against the opposition. They all set the stage for Sunday. The mass protests destroyed the often-used accusations by the regime than anyone against it is a paid CIA agent.