Leading Cuban dissident denounces 'violence' during detention

Leading Cuban dissident Manuel Cuesta Morua reported being detained and physically assaulted by security police, an incident he described as involving "substantial violence" for the first time in years. Cuesta Morua, president of the Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba (CDTC), stated the detention occurred on Saturday, just ahead of the fifth anniversary of widespread anti-government protests.

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subjected to “substantial violence” for the first time in several years.

Cuba is currently grappling with its most severe economic crisis in recent memory, exacerbated by U.S. sanctions and an oil blockade. Shortages of fuel, food, water, and medicine are rampant, and inflation has driven prices sky-high. The government is on high alert for further social unrest, with small groups already protesting nightly.

Cuesta Morua, a long-time pro-democracy activist, said he was taken to a deserted area outside Havana, rather than a police station, and received death threats. The CDTC denounced his "arbitrary detention," noting he was accused of encouraging citizens to demonstrate on July 11, the anniversary of the 2021 protests. Those protests, triggered by the collapsing economy, saw one death, dozens injured, and hundreds arrested.

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encouraging citizens to demonstrate

Despite recent releases of some inmates under U.S. pressure, numerous political prisoners remain incarcerated. In an effort to stabilize the economy and reduce U.S. pressure, lawmakers recently approved sweeping free-market reforms aimed at boosting the private sector and attracting foreign investment.

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arbitrary detention