Berta Soler asks the international community to make themselves heard: «The Cubans are spontaneously demonstrating for freedom, because they are desperate. We must prevent the regime from repressing them by force ». Then the leader of the Damas de Blanco, on the phone from Havana, turns to Pope Francis whom she had met: “I know well that he cannot be the liberator of Cuba, but every word in defense of the people can help us.”
Why have the protests erupted now?
“Covid and the health crisis have added to a chronic lack of food and medicine. The people of Cuba have been suffering for over sixty years, they are tired, they no longer know how to go forward. The government always uses the US embargo to justify this unsustainable situation, but people know it has nothing to do with it. The problem is that the administrators are clueless. They are concerned only with collecting the money they need, to keep the repressive machine running and stay in power ».
Are the manifestations spontaneous?
“Of course, that’s exactly it, there is no conspiracy. We knew nothing of the protests. It is impossible that 70% of Cubans, that is the majority who went to the streets, is made up entirely of bandits. No, the protesters are ordinary people, asking Diaz Canel to feed them and treat them. The streets belong to Cuban citizens, not tyrants or revolutionaries, as he puts it. They are not property of the dictatorship ».
The president asked the revolutionaries to defend the regime. Are you afraid of violence?
“The violence has already been here for a long time. It is used by the revolutionaries, as Diaz Canel calls them, and the paramilitary forces sent to the streets to crack down. There are places where the police have shot people. The population is peaceful and demonstrates its rights: those who use violence are the regime ”.
What will happen now?
«We must continue to demonstrate, peacefully, every day. One has to bear the dissatisfaction that people are showing. The regime must see that we are willing to fight for the freedom of Cuba, because freedom is expensive. Nobody gives it away, you have to win it ».
What are you asking?
“We need a change of government, leading to reforms. We do not believe in Diaz Canel, and we do not think that the Communists can solve the problems of the country any more ».
What can the international community do to help you?
«It must support the demonstrations, as American President Biden did. And it must demand an end to the violence. The Cuban people are not armed. Those who have the weapons, and use them, are the regime, its revolutionary forces, and the plainclothes policemen sent to the streets to suppress the protest. The international community must demand that all this end, and make it clear that the use of weapons against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable ”.
Could the Vatican mediate?
«I agree with the Vatican, I agree with what it is doing, and I do not intend to make any requests. But I hope in the authoritative voices that can help our people ».