Cuba Activists Detained as 1994 Anti‑Castro Protest Marks Anniversary
State Security Forces Target Dissidents on “Maleconazo” Anniversary
On Tuesday, activists, journalists, and families of political prisoners in Cuba reported brief detentions and house arrests by state security agents as the island observed the anniversary of the Maleconazo protest – the largest demonstration Fidel Castro faced during his rule.
Historical Context
- August 5, 1994: Hundreds gathered on Havana’s Malecon waterfront to protest, sparking a rafter crisis that forced many Cubans to flee by sea to the United States.
- Government claims the protest was incited by Radio Marti, a Washington‑funded station broadcasting into Cuba.
Recent Protests on July 11, 2021
- Thousands took to the streets, resulting in one death, dozens injured, and hundreds arrested.
- Many protesters remain incarcerated.
- The government continues to attribute the marches to Washington interference.
Government Response
President Miguel Diaz‑Canel posted a photo on X of Castro confronting protesters in 1994, stating that the “Maleconazo” anniversary reminds that “there will always be dark forces lurking against a genuine Revolution in difficult moments.”
Security Actions on Tuesday
- Reports of surveillance, house arrests, arbitrary detentions, and selective internet shutdowns came from the Miami‑based NGO Cubalex.
- Manuel Cuesta Morua, a dissident advocating democratic transition, said he had been “besieged by the police” in a “type of house arrest” without a court order.
- Yoani Sanchez, director of independent newspaper 14ymedio, said her husband, Reinaldo Escobar, was detained for a couple of hours in Havana, and that the government “activated its repressive apparatus” following a “police pattern” applied on sensitive dates.
- Independent journalist Camila Acosta reported a state security officer stationed at her house early in the morning.
- Other individuals cited by Cubalex included representatives of the Ladies in White rights group and the father of a young man imprisoned for participating in the July 2021 protests.
