Cuba, July 15, 2021

J11 Declaration

The Cuban regime’s reaction to the events of July 11th, the largest protests ever to take place in all of Cuban history—thanks to what caused them, their geographic extension, the large number of participants, its depth and demands—has followed the Yugoslavian model: a call on the part of the State for a potential massacre, harsh repression against unarmed citizens, the re-arming of paramilitary mobs, and nighttime raids for the purpose of arresting protesters, most of them young.

The fact that the early declarations made by the non-elected Cuban president were not criticized by the United Nations’ highest leadership, beginning with its Commission on Human Rights, reveals weaknesses in a global organization that just doesn’t understand that the only guarantee of peace between States lies precisely in the existence of inner peace in the very  same States. Díaz Canel’s statements were actually on par with those of Radovan Karadžić, the Butcher of Bosnia, precisely because of who was making them and their gravity. The fact that his call to combat did not result in a generalized blood bath demonstrates that there are men and women somewhere along the chain of command in Cuba who have a sense of responsibility. The need for free, pluralistic, democratic, and fair elections has never been more pertinent in Cuba. It is imperative to our national security to elect capable men and women with a vision for the State.

According to preliminary data, more than 5,000 people have been arrested in Cuba without due process. Among these is José Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Unión Patriótica de Cuba and President of the Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba (CTDC), his son, José Daniel Ferrer Cantillo, both of them already having been on hunger strikes, as well as Félix Navarro Rodríguez and Enix Berrio Sardá, CTDC vice-presidents (the whereabouts of the latter of these  is unknown at the time of this writing). Also among the arrested are Guillermo Fariñas, Camila Acosta, Henry Constantin, Maikel González Vivero, Marisol Peña Cobos, Denis Reyes, and many others who are still detained and whose situation is unknown.

There is a continued attempt on the part of the government to justify these arrests by characterizing them as responses to crimes of public disorder, which fulfills a political need to distort the suprising peaceful, civil, and political nature of the protests that took place in more than 50 cities and towns in Cuba. It is true that there have been acts of vandalism against the police and certain commercial establishments. These were expressions of rage against nutritional abuse and discrimination, but even so, these isolated events were blown out of proportion for political purposes, via the media’s sensationalism, and biased and racist perceptions that attempt to racialize and criminalize protests. In any event, the CTDC does not identify or condone vandalism or social violence as forms of protest. Nevertheless, to equate and reduce the civic maturity of the events of July 11th with acts of banditry is like delegitimizing the protests that took place in the United States, Chile, or Colombia on account of the spiraling social violence occurring there.

July 11th was a protest for freedom, not a protest due to hunger. Had it been, there would not be many intact food stores all over the country right now. The CTDC identifies with the peaceful demonstrations on behalf of freedom. These are protected under Article 56 of the Cuban Constitution The CTDC requests the immediate liberation of those who have been arrested and will create a support network for the families of those who have been detained so they can receive legal counsel, and national and international visibility. Families and citizens who want to report cases and seek legal protection can contact the Consejo via consejo11j@gmail.com or through WhatsApp +5354485695 / +34639338982