Recent footage has emerged highlighting the extensive protest that took place this past Friday in Río Cauto, Granma. The demonstration called for the release of Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez, a mother who was detained earlier in the week after she publicly criticized the severe shortages and poverty plaguing the area.
What started as a neighborhood protest in the town of Guamo Viejo quickly escalated into a large-scale rally, with hundreds of Río Cauto residents taking to the streets in solidarity, demanding freedom for Carrasco. Videos and images shared by opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer capture the defiant spirit of the demonstrators as they sang the national anthem in the plaza where Carrasco was apprehended just days before.
In that very spot, locals continued to call for her release and assert their right to free speech. Throughout the protest, chants of "Freedom for Mayelín" echoed through the streets, accompanied by signs supporting the detained mother. Some residents banged pots in protest against the oppressive measures.
Despite the presence of police patrols attempting to intimidate them, the community remained steadfast, forcing the province's top officials to confront them. Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in Granma, addressed the crowd, assuring them that the revolution would not strip them of what it had provided, including "electricity."
At 47, Mayelín Carrasco had publicly denounced the dire lack of essential food resources needed to feed her children. In her statements, she lamented, "Everything has collapsed," referring to the economic crisis gripping the nation. After speaking out about the harsh living conditions, she was violently arrested and subjected to interrogation.
Understanding the Río Cauto Protest
Why was Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez detained?
Mayelín Carrasco Álvarez was detained after she publicly criticized the extreme shortages and poverty in Río Cauto, calling attention to the lack of basic food resources.
How did the protest in Río Cauto begin?
The protest began as a neighborhood gathering in Guamo Viejo and grew into a massive demonstration with hundreds of residents demanding the release of Carrasco.
What was the response from the Cuban authorities?
Cuban authorities, including the first secretary of the PCC in Granma, addressed the protesters, claiming that the revolution would not take away any benefits, such as electricity, from the people.