Repression in Cuba works in a way that sometimes is not easy to understand for those who are not in direct contact with it or with the people who suffer it.
Cuba has managed to create an international image of a social country, concerned about the lives of people. It has continuously promoted its progress in public health and education, which, while undeniable, is not enough to understand the human rights situation on the island.
Part of the problem is that these social guarantees are not conceived as citizens’ rights, but as gifts, generously offered by a government that, at the same time that can give them, can also take them away. Thus, in exchange, people have to behave accordingly, and that means following the instructions of the government and not going beyond the established limits. Of course, these limits are not always clear, neither are the same for all people, and are justified by arguing that Cuba is a country at war against imperialism, in constant need to defend itself, so it is necessary to control individual freedoms in the country.
Artists and independent journalists are usually in the spotlight of the government, as well as people who develop projects autonomously, without belonging to any institution. In a country where there is no freedom of association, any initiative for a joint meeting or action can be seen as dangerous for the nation, regardless of its content.
In Cuba, in general, there are no cases of people killed or disappeared because of their political activities and for years people have not been locked up in jail for long periods of time because they think differently. However, life can be very difficult for those who decide to leave the official path, who decide to express their opinions or act independently.
This new issue of Rewriting Cuba tries to explain, through the testimonies of some affected men and women, how the social control tools of the Cuban government works and the psychological consequences they produce in people.
Download here the bulletin.
Leave a comment