Another perspective on the December 20 Combatant March has been offered by Alina Barbara Lopez Hernandez, a Cuban historian and political scientist who has participated in many protests against Cuban government policies.[1]
She said,”The problem is not that the government is able to summon thousands of people to a march in support of it. It has the power and we know that it has made a huge effort, with a huge police deployment, pressure and expenses that, by the way, it is not in a position to make now.” Indeed, “many of the protesters were dressed in their work uniforms, suggesting that they were organized at their workplaces and taken to the march. Caravans of buses were seen from various points in Havana transporting people to the site, wasting fuel that the authorities say they do not have to cope with the power outages and sustain the semi-paralyzed public transport.”
She also admits “that many of those attending the march are unconditional supporters of the Government and are there out of conviction and their own decision. And that must be respected. The real problem is that the Government knows very well that if a civic protest march could be called without being repressed, it would be much larger than theirs. That is why they do not allow them, thus violating article 56 of the Constitution.”
If the government wanted to convince the world of its power, they would allow a countermarch and if the government did that and the government overwhelmed the protesters, the government’s “stength would be unquestionable. But I doubt they dare. They are too afraid.”
The Government is well aware of Lopez Hernandez’ opinions and protests. This April and June the government charged her and another person with the crime of “attack” for attempting to demonstrate publicly. She filed a complaint against the three officers for injuries during those arrests, but so far there has been no results of her complaints, demonstrating the submission of Cuban justice to State Security.[2]
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[1] ‘Allow a counter-march. If they overtake us there, their strength will have no objections,’ Diario de Cuba (Dec. 21, 2024)
[2] ‘Abusiveness, cynicism and cowardice’: Criminal Proceedings against Alina Barbara Lopez prove the submission of Cuban justice, Diario de Cuba (Nov. 15, 2024).