This week, a group of predominantly elderly individuals gathered outside a home in the Zamorana neighborhood of Santiago de Cuba, eagerly awaiting food distributed by opposition activists affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and the Cuban Resistance Assembly (ARC). The scene was captured in a video shared by José Daniel Ferrer on his X account, as part of the "Save Cuba Campaign."
The video depicts recipients expressing their profound appreciation amidst the island's dire food insecurity: "Thanks to you," "May this service continue," "Thank you for your efforts," "Greetings to José Daniel Ferrer," and "You are warriors," they voiced.
The accompanying text of the video leaves no room for misinterpretation: "While the tyranny starves the people and slanders us, we feed the most needy. Save Cuba Campaign in Zamorana, Santiago de Cuba."
Overseeing the distribution in Zamorana is UNPACU activist Maikel Mediaceja Ramos, a former political prisoner who served eight years and was released in 2026. In mid-October, political police agents attempted to detain him at his home on B Street, between Madre Vieja and Zamorana, before dawn. However, the solidarity of neighbors thwarted the arrest as Mediaceja escaped via rooftops, declaring to the agents, "I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just feeding the hungry."
That very day, nearly 300 individuals arrived seeking food. Authorities threatened to intervene, claiming the distribution lacked "legal authorization," a notion Ferrer condemned as outrageous: "In a country where so many go hungry, the repressive apparatus seeks to turn a meal into a national security issue."
This humanitarian effort traces back over a decade. Ferrer initiated it from his home in Altamira, and at its peak, UNPACU fed over 1,200 people daily in Santiago de Cuba until the regime responded with police blockades, food confiscations, and arrests of activists. Despite repression, the organization continued discreetly in three locations in Santiago de Cuba and in Guantánamo, Bayamo, Holguín, and Havana, serving more than 800 daily.
The latest video emerges amid heightened tension for Ferrer, who coordinates support for these networks from exile in Miami. On October 19, he participated in a UN forum convened by U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz, where he denounced torture and repression. Two days later, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla labeled him a "convicted criminal." Undeterred, Ferrer declared that if anyone proved his work fruitless, he would return to Cuba, "knowing it might be my end in the regime's prisons."
As the regime targets those distributing food and the foreign minister brands opponents as criminals, the elderly in Zamorana stand firm, waiting by a door with a clear message: "Feeding the hungry is not a crime; it is a human duty. No dictatorship can stop us from fulfilling our duty as Christians."
Understanding the Food Distribution Efforts in Santiago de Cuba
Who is leading the food distribution in Zamorana?
The food distribution in Zamorana is led by UNPACU activist Maikel Mediaceja Ramos, a former political prisoner.
Why do the Cuban authorities oppose these food distributions?
Cuban authorities claim that the distributions lack "legal authorization," but activists argue it's an attempt to suppress humanitarian efforts and maintain control over food resources.
How has the UNPACU managed to continue its operations despite government repression?
UNPACU has adapted by operating more discreetly across various cities, continuing to serve significant numbers of people despite increased government pressure and resource confiscations.