A group of exiled Cubans gathered on Thursday outside the Cuban Embassy and Consulate in Madrid to protest political repression on the island and call for the release of political prisoner Yosvany Rosell García Caso, who has been on a hunger strike for 35 days.
The demonstration was organized by activists from the platform Avanna Libre, who shared photos and videos of the protest on social media. The footage depicted posters, slogans, and stickers condemning the Cuban dictatorship.
"This morning, we stood firm in front of the Cuban tyranny's consulate and embassy in Madrid, which are complicit in a country overwhelmed by the pandemic, epidemics, hunger, and repression," stated the group in a press release.
During the protest, activists placed stickers on the walls and entrances of the diplomatic building, accusing the Cuban missions in Europe of violating data protection laws and engaging in political espionage.
They also unfurled a Cuban flag turned "inside out," a symbol of protest meant to reveal "the true face of the island that the regime tries to hide from the world."
"Each photo and every second of this video serve as a direct accusation against that embassy and consulate, which represent tyranny, not the Cuban people," declared the organizers, led by activist Avana de la Torre.
The event was dedicated to political prisoner Yosvany Rosell García Caso, who was sentenced following the July 11, 2021 protests and has been on a hunger strike for more than a month.
His family reports that the activist is in critical condition, suffering from dehydration and kidney damage.
"Yosvany is risking his own health as the only means he has left to expose the horrors of the regime's prisons," stated the protesters.
The activists accused the Cuban diplomatic offices of acting as centers for political control and extraterritorial repression, alleging that "from these offices, European privacy laws are violated, and state terrorism is exported under the guise of diplomacy."
Images shared by the protesters displayed banners with phrases like "Freedom for the 11J prisoners," "Down with the Cuban dictatorship," and "Embassy of fear, not of the people."
Protests outside Cuban embassies across Europe, especially in Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic, have become more frequent. These demonstrations are driven by human rights groups denouncing the plight of political prisoners and the social decay on the island.
"We will remain in the streets until the dictatorship falls," one participant declared as the protest concluded.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuban Political Protests in Europe
What was the purpose of the protest in Madrid?
The protest aimed to denounce political repression in Cuba and demand the release of political prisoner Yosvany Rosell García Caso, who has been on a hunger strike.
Who organized the demonstration in front of the Cuban Embassy in Madrid?
The protest was organized by the activist platform Avanna Libre, which is dedicated to advocating for human rights and freedoms in Cuba.
What accusations did the protesters make against the Cuban diplomatic offices in Europe?
Protesters accused the Cuban diplomatic missions of violating European data protection laws and engaging in political espionage, serving as centers for political control and repression beyond Cuban borders.