José Daniel Ferrer, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, has identified the Cuban mother who was violently detained by the political police for protesting against hunger. Her name is Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez, a 47-year-old woman with three children. This is not her first time speaking out about the food shortages in her village, Guamo Viejo, a small rural area in Río Cauto (Granma) with approximately 600 residents, according to Ecured.
Ferrer has shared a video of Mayelín Carrasco's protest on his YouTube channel, along with a live broadcast he made before the power outage in Santiago de Cuba. In this broadcast, he calls for support not only for Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez but for all Cubans who protest against the regime led by Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez is no stranger to public protests. She was previously recorded in a video vehemently stating that there is indeed hunger in Guamo Viejo. She emphasized that as a mother of three, she receives no state assistance. "Let Canel know," she expressed angrily in those images shared by the UNPACU leader on social media.
According to José Daniel Ferrer, as of 1 PM this past Wednesday in Cuba, Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez remained under arrest. She herself stated in a public appearance that she was detained for "demanding her rights in a square."
She was forcibly removed by the political police from the Ángel Fría Square in Río Cauto. From there, she criticized the erosion of what she called "the revolution" of Fidel and Raúl Castro and blamed local authorities for neglecting communities like Guamo Viejo, where "there is indeed hunger."
Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez was dragged away by two plainclothes political police officers. They forcibly removed her from the Ángel Fría Square in Río Cauto, where she had been addressing a small group of men and women, most of whom were on bicycles, with some even wearing T-shirts with communist propaganda. She shared her struggles as a single mother of three, striving to provide daily meals for her family.
Although none of the neighbors initially supported her, when they saw her being taken away by force, they began shouting "Let her go," "Abusers," yet the political police ignored the public outcry and continued with their actions.
Understanding the Situation in Río Cauto
Who is Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez?
Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez is a Cuban mother of three from Guamo Viejo, Río Cauto, known for protesting against food shortages in her community.
Why was Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez arrested?
She was arrested by the political police for publicly protesting against hunger and demanding her rights in the Ángel Fría Square.
What did José Daniel Ferrer do in response to her arrest?
He shared a video of her protest on his YouTube channel and called for support for her and other Cubans protesting against the regime.
How did the local community react during her arrest?
Initially, her neighbors did not support her, but they eventually shouted "Let her go" and "Abusers" when they saw her being taken away forcefully.