Alicia María López, a lecturer at the Matanzas University branch in the municipality of Jovellanos, has made a public announcement of her resignation through social media. In her statement, she accuses the institution of "turning its back" on students and orchestrating a "staged performance" to suppress their demands.
"Look at the faces of the few students from Matanzas: sitting in the back rows, clearly discontented and embarrassed," López remarked, referencing a photo published by the official newspaper Girón. The photo covered a recent meeting between students, faculty, and political leaders at the University of Matanzas.
López expressed her shame at being part of a university that, in her view, disregards students' legitimate concerns. She criticized the event covered by Girón as a tactic to project an idyllic and depoliticized image of the university environment. "Their board of directors stages this performance to spread an idyllic image," she stated.
In her message, López strongly criticized the institutional stance reflected in the provincial media's article, which claimed that the University Student Federation (FEU) maintained an "open and constructive stance towards dialogue."
According to Girón, the meeting discussed topics of interest to young people, including recent adjustments made by the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA), which have sparked student strikes at various university campuses in Havana and Villa Clara. For López, however, the alleged openness to dialogue was superficial and manipulated. “As teachers, when we truly are, we must not ignore the aspirations, needs, and struggles of our students,” she declared.
The lecturer mentioned that she will formalize her resignation this Saturday, a move that has resonated widely on social media. Many users have expressed their support, while others question her stance. Activist José Raúl Gallego stated, "With more actions like this, the circus (the regime) would collapse in a week."
Following ETECSA's introduction of new rates, students from several faculties at the University of Havana have declared a strike, while the government continues to deny the existence of a student protest.
Key Issues at Matanzas University
What prompted Alicia María López to resign from the university?
Alicia María López resigned due to her belief that the university was ignoring student concerns and staging events to present a false image of openness and dialogue.
How did the university allegedly suppress student voices?
The university was accused of organizing events that appeared open to discussion but were actually superficial and manipulated to suppress genuine student demands.
What topics were discussed in the meeting covered by Girón?
The meeting reportedly discussed issues relevant to students, including recent changes by ETECSA that have caused unrest and student strikes.