Cuba's Fear: Protests After Crackdown

0:00Today is March 10th. Here's what's making headlines worldwide. Nearly five years ago, on July 11th, 2021, protests broke out in the small Cuban town of San Antonio de los Bonyos over food, shortages, medicine scarcity, and long power blackouts during the pandemic. The unrest quickly spread nationwide, marking the biggest challenge to Cuba's government in decades as people chanted, patria, yvita. Security forces crack down hard, jailing between 1,000 and 1,500 protesters according to rights groups in western governments. Many received long sentences for charges like public disorder, while dissidents faced exile or imprisonment. Today, with U.S. sanctions and an oil blockade worsening the crisis, locals in those same neighborhoods express deep fear of repeating the events. One young baker beaten and detained back then, said his friends are still behind bars, and people avoid streets protests out of terror. Retaliation hits hard too, with protesters

1:03and families facing job losses or barriers to starting businesses, leading to self-sensorship. The government often cuts internet at the first sign of trouble and blames Washington for stirring unrest. While frustration boils over recent multi-day blackouts with some banging pots in poor Havana areas, no major uprisings seem likely. Opinions split between criticizing the government and pointing to U.S. pressure, but everyone agrees the last crackdown accomplished little beyond. More suffering. Special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode. Do not just fall asleep, drift into what you are listening to. S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com