Cuba: Neither Gasoline nor Parade in the Plaza

Another week in which fuel shortages challenge the patience of Cubans, especially that of transport workers and private car owners who try for hours to refuel vehicles, an option that is restricted in several provinces. While the long lines seem to be part of the landscape, on social networks the public criticizes the government’s Cubadebate website due to its trivialization of the crisis.

It is no longer so easy to turn setbacks into victories.

The shortage led the Government to suspend one of the pillars of its propaganda: the “massive” parade for International Worker’s Day on May 1. Instead, they chose to hold local events.

On Twitter and Facebook, users speculate that perhaps the real reason for the decision is the leaders’ fear of a parade with little participation. Citizens on social networks and in front of the international media cameras assured that they would not go to the march when they can barely sleep, eat, or work due to the situation in the country.

Amid the dissatisfaction and without the government bothering to try to calm things down with its usual rhetoric, a video went viral showing, once again, the violence and abuse of the repressive forces. In the images, two policemen are seen shouting and beating an immobile young man. One of the agents shouts: “I am a communist”, “I am Fidel”.

This year I am freed from going to the May Day Parade so I can go to another one!

What are the saints saying about the gasoline and May Day? That there isn’t any for May first, second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.

The poet already said it: Your doing well! Enough man.

Long Live May 1st

Something happened there that had nothing to do with me…

This article was translated into English from the original in Spanish.