Students from the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University of Havana, commonly known as CUJAE, have raised alarms over harassment by State Security in response to their opposition to recent tariff increases. According to the independent outlet Árbol Invertido, the students described an environment filled with fear and persecution due to the direct intervention of Cuba's political police.
Reports indicate that students faced interviews, harassment, threats of expulsion, and the deletion of mobile content from those opposing the tariff hike. Additionally, they reported the removal of the group chat "CUJAE Speaks" from WhatsApp. One student told Árbol Invertido, "State Security came to the school and interrogated several people, many from the scholarship program. Today, the 'CUJAE Speaks' group was deleted. They might have found the administrator."
A student representing the Cuban student community battling the regime's oppressive measures sent a message asking for support and attention: "We need assistance, especially from those abroad, who can help bring visibility to our efforts," stated Árbol Invertido in a post.
On Monday, the independent outlet also shared a screenshot of a message from a student mentioning an unusual atmosphere at the school's dormitory following the appearance of a graffiti-covered sheet. Furthermore, an "overall inspection" of the students' rooms was scheduled for this week, aligning with the State Security's interrogations at the institution.
Initial Statement from CUJAE's Student Federation
Since last Tuesday, CUJAE's Federation of University Students (FEU) and the Union of Young Communists (UJC) have strongly condemned the measures taken by ETECSA. In a joint official statement, the FEU and UJC council not only called for alternative solutions but also urged ETECSA to show more respect towards the people.
"We reiterate our dissatisfaction and request more concrete and inclusive solutions in a timely manner. Additionally, we call for a more respectful stance from publicly speaking officials," concluded the first paragraph of CUJAE's sharp and surprising statement.
The students demanded not only technical and economic corrections but also a change in attitude and tone from the state company's representatives, who, according to the statement, have provided vague and repetitive explanations without clearly addressing the real impact on citizens.
Repression at Marta Abreu University
On Sunday, it was revealed that State Security's response to students at the Central University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas (UCLV) organizing a university protest for Monday included threats of imprisonment and expulsion. This information was shared by journalist Mario J. Pentón, who provided a student's testimony from the university.
"In my Faculty of Economic Sciences, State Security has already started to act. They visited three students at their homes, threatening them with expulsion from the university and even prison," the student's message read.
One of these students was the administrator of the WhatsApp channel "The Voice of All," which aimed to unite university students and had gained over 500 followers in a few hours. The university protest planned for Monday was canceled after he was forced to close the channel.
Pentón also shared a screenshot of the WhatsApp group where the threatened student wrote a retraction. "The young people were threatened in front of their families and forced to write messages in the faculty’s WhatsApp group 'repenting' and expressing support for the FEU. All clearly under duress," reported Pentón.
Last Wednesday, UCLV students announced their participation in the academic strike initiated by other Cuban universities in protest against the restrictions imposed by the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA), which they describe as discriminatory and exclusive.
Understanding State Security and Student Protests in Cuba
What actions have students at CUJAE taken against the tariff increases?
Students at CUJAE have engaged in opposition efforts, including forming groups to voice their concerns and organizing protests against the tariff increases imposed by ETECSA.
How has State Security responded to student protests?
State Security has responded with harassment, interrogations, threats of expulsion, and by shutting down communication channels like WhatsApp groups used by students to organize.
What are the demands of the student organizations at CUJAE?
The student organizations demand more concrete and inclusive solutions from ETECSA, as well as respectful communication from the company's representatives regarding the impact of their decisions on the populace.