Two inspectors, accused of targeting "the most vulnerable" with fines and confiscations, were publicly called out on social media by independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada.
According to Tan, these events unfolded last Friday at the intersection of Monte and Revillagigedo in Jesús María, Havana. "These faces represent daily abuse," he remarked.
The victims of these officials’ actions were not large businesses or well-connected entrepreneurs. Instead, they were street vendors, elderly individuals, and impoverished people who barely get by with a small table or cart on the street.
"This scene plays out repeatedly: inspectors ignore the powerful and target those who can't offer bribes, who lack protection and influence. They harassed those who harm no one, pursuing the daily bread of poor families," the journalist lamented.
Tan Estrada shared that the women even attempted to fine a single mother who sells candies and drinks from her porch to feed her children.
"Is that the crime? Surviving in a country where wages fall short and the state fails to provide the basics?" he questioned.
"It’s not order, legality, or justice. It’s an abuse of power. A system that punishes poverty while tolerating well-connected big businesses. It's the public humiliation of those who have already lost almost everything. These actions solve nothing. They only deepen misery, anger, and the distrust of a people tired of always being the ones to suffer," the journalist concluded.
Inspectors have become increasingly unpopular figures in a nation suffering under crisis. A few months ago, two inspectors allegedly attempting to unjustly fine a pedicab driver were confronted by a group of Cubans who didn’t hesitate to stand up for the self-employed worker.
The incident, captured in a video that quickly went viral on social media, appeared to be another case of government extortion. However, it ended up as an act of resistance, with the community uniting to reject the abuse.
Understanding the Impact of Inspector Actions in Cuba
Why are inspectors targeting vulnerable individuals in Havana?
Inspectors often target vulnerable individuals because they lack the resources and connections to defend themselves, making them easy targets for fines and confiscations.
What was the public reaction to the inspectors' actions?
The public reaction has been largely negative, with widespread criticism and instances of community resistance against such actions, as seen when a group of Cubans defended a pedicab driver from unjust fines.