With the massive protests that broke out on the island this past month, March was a busy month for the communist Castro dictatorship’s machine of repression. Nearly 400 oppressive acts by the Cuban state were documented in March, a significant jump over the previous month.
Via ADN Cuba (my translation):
OCDH documents 373 acts of repression in March
Repression against the civilian population shot up in Cuba in March, in connection with the public protests seen in several areas of the country, denounced the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) on Thursday.
In statements to ADN Cuba by the Director of Strategy of the OCDH, Yaxys Cires, “the socio-economic situation is becoming more serious every day and the main response has to be from rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, what the regime does is oppress. Every day that passes without an effective response to the problems afflicting the majority is life stolen from each person.”
In March, 373 acts of repression occurred (92 more than in February), of which 119 were arbitrary detentions. The majority of the arrests were against women (74), compared to 45 men.
At least 19 detentions are related to the public protests that occurred on March 8, 17, and 18.
“We denounce 90 illegal detentions of activists and dissidents in homes. There are 75 complaints of violations against political prisoners, common prisoners, and their families. We are still receiving complaints, so the data presented is partial,” stated the OCDH.
The organization lamented that the Cuban regime does not seek solutions to the needs and demands of the people, but oppresses instead.
During March 17 and 18, demonstrations were confirmed in Santiago de Cuba, Bayamo, Santa Marta, Los Mangos, and El Cobre, motivated by extensive power outages and the general crisis the country is going through.
People demanded food, electricity, and freedom on the streets of the island.
There are reports of more than a dozen people detained, but the figures could increase in the coming days.