From our Bureau of Socialist Tolerance, Compassion, and Social Justice
A man who was fed up with all the drug dealing in Old Havana took to the streets to protest this situation. As usual, Castro, Inc. stepped in to silence and punish him for the crime of protesting. Charged with creating “public disorder”, he was arrested, fined, and threatened with stiffer punishment if he were to continue protesting. Apparently, protesting against drugs is a crime, most probably because its an admission of the fact that the socialist paradise created by Castro, Inc. has a drug crisis. Such a paradise.
From Cubita Now
Activist Alberto Turis Betancourt Pérez was arrested this Wednesday after publicly protesting against drug sales in his community, in the Jesús María neighborhood of Old Havana. Armed with two large handmade signs, Turis walked the streets openly denouncing the trafficking of substances such as “químico, crack, and heroin,” which he claimed are sold with impunity on Gloria Street, between Carmen and Rastro.
“‘Químico’ is cheaper than a soda,” Turis said in a video shared on his Facebook page, where he also criticized the lack of action by authorities. “The police don’t act, mothers are tired of having their belongings stolen, the people are dying, and no one cares,” he added. The activist also expressed concern for his safety, warning, “My life could be in danger, not just for denouncing the regime but also for confronting criminals who traffic drugs without any punishment.”
In a statement to 14ymedio, Turis said that after his protest, he was arrested and fined for “public disorder” by Section 21, a unit known for suppressing activists and dissidents. “They took me to Dragones, fined me, and threatened me, but this won’t stop me. On the contrary, it gives me more strength to keep going,” he stated.
Turis also mentioned that he has repeatedly tried to alert authorities about drug trafficking in his neighborhood, but to no avail. “I have filed formal complaints, but the traffickers keep operating as if nothing happened,” he denounced. According to the activist, drugs are brought in by motorbikes and sold by local residents, who seem unafraid of being arrested, suggesting possible collusion with local authorities.