A former member of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR), who claims he was expelled after clashing with his superiors and refusing to carry out orders he deemed unjust, made a public plea on Monday urging active police officers not to turn against a population that, as he warned, can no longer endure the ongoing hardship.
Marino Garlobo Reyes shared his story with CubaNet, detailing how he arrived in Havana from eastern Cuba 25 years ago, lured by promises of housing and improved living conditions that the regime failed to deliver.
"I left the police force because I realized it was all a deception," he stated.
Garlobo was trained at the Valle Grande police academy, where he graduated as a sector chief with one of the top records in his class, and was posted in the Jesús María neighborhood in Havana.
Over time, tensions with his superiors became untenable: he openly criticized the repression of citizens and refused to carry out orders he considered unjust, including the detention of street vendors, blind individuals, and citizens with disabilities.
"I confronted them and told them the truth, that they were repressing people for no reason," he declared.
Eventually, he was summoned to a police station in Lombillo and Boyeros, where he was informed of his dismissal.
Since then, he claims that the stigma of being expelled from the Ministry of the Interior has closed employment doors for him.
His current situation mirrors the neglect he denounces: he lives in a building with severe structural damage, home to more than 60 people at imminent risk of collapse, suffers from a transient ischemic attack, and cannot obtain the necessary medication.
He was admitted to the University Hospital General Calixto García but chose to leave due to deteriorating facilities and the absence of drugs.
"I am asking the State to address these issues, but no one steps up. They don't care," he lamented.
The ex-officer described a systematic pattern of recruitment: young people from rural eastern areas are lured with promises of houses and benefits that rarely materialize, spending months away from their families, leading to marital breakdowns and deep personal strain.
Garlobo Reyes draws a stark contrast between the grassroots officers and the regime's elite: "While those at the top have foreign bank accounts, their children studying at universities, wealthy, you are here struggling with a problem you didn't create."
His final message was directed at those still in uniform: "To the police, I say understand the people's plight, don't repress them, don't attack them. People can't take it anymore, they are stressed by the situation, there's no food, there's nothing. Treat your people well, love them. We are the same people."
Ultimately, for Garlobo, police officers are as much victims of the system as the rest of the Cuban population: "The police have neither voice nor vote. They are tools and struggle just like everyone else," he noted.
This perspective aligns with other findings: the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory has reported that 20% of police officers have left the force, while the MININT has resorted to recruiting teenagers in Havana schools through vocational festivals due to a recruitment crisis.
Understanding the Challenges Faced by Cuban Police Officers
Why did Marino Garlobo Reyes leave the police force?
Marino Garlobo Reyes left the police force because he realized the promises made to him were deceptive and he could no longer support the unjust orders given by his superiors.
What challenges do Cuban police officers face according to Garlobo Reyes?
According to Garlobo Reyes, Cuban police officers face challenges such as being tools of the regime, enduring the same hardships as ordinary citizens, and not having their voices heard or respected within the system.