Then, something unprecedented happened on the morning of November 27th. The Cuban leadership has continued to criticise the MSI, calling it an agent of “Yankee imperialism,” unwittingly increasing its popularity around the world. The movement is a collective of artists, poets, professors, musicians, and ordinary civilians who denounce government measures they perceive as limiting … Your email address will not be published. Cuban authorities had evicted from their headquarters and briefly detained a group of 14 members of the so-called San Isidro Movement, an anti-government group. Clearly, we are in the middle of a crisis, not a revolution. HAVANA TIMES – The San Isidro Movement (MSI) is everywhere right now in Cuba: on social media, in people’s conversations on the street and even on TV. For an hour after the raid, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram went down all over the country, as per The Economist. Foto: (EFE) Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, líder del Movimiento San Isidro (MSI) reveló que el gobierno cubano gastó recursos que se podrían usar para la compra de alimentos en la instalación de más cámaras de vigilancia en los alrededores de este barrio. It is just a civil society group in Cuba that emerged spontaneously and continues to be independent, as any civil society group should be. A bipartisan effort by U.S. The government called the San Isidro Movement, as well as other dissidents, mercenaries directed by the US to destabilize the country. The Cuban police is used to provoking, insulting and blackmailing criminals and political challengers in the same way. Likewise, why Denis was being harassed for so long before this, other than for being an anti-establishment artist. His colleagues were out in front of the police station, reciting poems in a vigil, as a peaceful protest to demand his release. However, they are a lot more skilled than artists in the art of getting what they want. (Photo: Twitter/@Mov_sanisidro), Post-vaccination effects and deaths: reading the data available so far. This first step and the visibility they gained won’t let us fall into the trap of believing that justice and freedom is around the corner in Cuba. This happened at a time when many independent artists had concerns about political measures and held social protests, but it didn’t establish itself until the government announced decree-law 349 – which is an attempt to restrict artistic freedoms in Cuba – and they came together to fight against it. They scammed the  and twisted the nature of the dialogue, viciously defaming the MSI and supporting artists in national media. The movement started in September 2018, when the Cuban government sought to enforce Decree 349, a law that would have given powers to the nation’s Culture Ministry to restrict cultural activity it did not approve of. According to Wikipedia, “crisis is a temporary period of change in any aspect of organized society but is unstable, subject to evolution.“However, “if these changes are profound, sudden and violent, and especially bring about breakthrough consequences, that go beyond a crisis, they can be called a revolution.”. A day later, in a rare show of defiance, around 300 protesters, both supporters of MSI and those from other movements, demonstrated outside the Culture Ministry, demanding dialogue with its vice-minister, who ended up holding a meeting with them for five hours. There is no doubt that the MSI is an excellent spark to begin awakening Cubans’ civic spirit. I am a biologist but I am passionate about politics, history and political philosophy. Cuba’s San Isidro Movement: Between Poetry & Death. A good omen, since I identify myself as a pacifist. El Movimiento San Isidro y la #UNPACU, los cuerpos que presionan a la dictadura en #Cuba. ... Yusimi Ferreira is one of many … The San Isidro Movement was formed in … During the day I feel great anguish. A Cuban dissident group says police have raided its HQ in the capital, Havana, detaining members on hunger strike over the jailing of a rapper. This is why MSI members, who challenge this control, are treated like criminals and mercenaries. What these artists are doing is pretty normal and respected almost anywhere else in the world. Just asking for them is proof that these basic safeguards and human rights don’t exist in Cuba. What is in France’s draft law against ‘Islamism’? Diario Las Americas Primer periódico hispano con 63 años informando en español desde el Sur de la Florida. I'm from Mayari, a little village in Holguín. The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards. Lots of Cubans will tell you similar things privately, but few have dared utter them in public. After dozens gathered in protest, the government allowed the SNet to continue, albeit under state surveillance. Odisha seals border with Chhattisgarh amid surge in Covid-19 cases, France extends gap between mRNA vaccine shots to ramp-up rollout, How Indian classical and Bollywood music in British schools are bettering the grades, No entry into temples without e-token, mask; police to ensure social distancing, Expert: Patients with kidney disease more susceptible to Covid related complications, After UP jail move, Ansari booked under Arms Act for withholding guns, In Kerala, two medical students dance their way to healing hate and hearts, EC frowned on this but uses martyr icon in its Bengal ad, Uttar Pradesh: 50% attendance in offices, five at a time to be allowed at religious places, https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png. I consider myself a democratic socialist and my main motivation is to try to be useful to the positive change that Cuba needs. San Isidro (conocido también por su sigla MSI) es un movimiento artístico y social de corte político cubano, creado por un grupo de artistas e intelectuales que forman parte de la denominada disidencia cubana, la oposición al Partido Comunista de Cuba. The San Isidro movement — started by local artists demanding freedom of speech — has grown, and now others are. They forcefully evicted and detained the artists. Around 300 Cubans gathered together to express their dissent against the government action! The Indian Express is now on Telegram. This is because they are looking for a disproportionate reaction that justifies (even if it’s just in the slightest) charges for the easiest crime there is in Cuba to lock up a human being: contempt for public authority or attacking a public authority. However, not in Cuba, where the government is conservative and cautious of its totalitarian system. In Cuba, a country under an authoritarian communist regime for more than six decades, a campaign by artists and activists demanding greater freedom of expression is fast grabbing the limelight. Required fields are marked *. The authorities also convoked a mob to help. The Movimiento San Isidro challenges Cuba’s regime. Will the second wave derail India's economy? Los proyectos financiados deben “ofrecer un enfoque que vincule estos objetivos con temas socioeconómicos y políticos que son importantes para los ciudadanos cubanos” y “tener el potencial de producir efectos a corto plazo que conduzcan a cambios sostenibles a largo plazo”, exige la agencia estadounidense. But the dissidents’ movement sees signs of … This is how they get around having to chase down criminals with evidence for trial. MSI insists on demanding Luis Manuel’s release, who has already stopped his hunger strike like other members but continues to be in police custody at a hospital. 'Tenemos un diálogo directo con la ciudadanía, con el cubano que camina por las calles, que hace las colas', dice Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, quien destaca el trabajo comunitario que realiza la UNPACU. Freedom of expression is a human right. To continue to fight for the rights and well being of the people is part of revolutionary thinking. The San Isidro Movement (MSI) began two years ago in Cuba in protest against the state censorship of artistic works. In 2018, the regime was forced to ease rules that would have restricted entrepreneurs to one line of business, after members of the economically crucial tourism sector threatened to go on strike. Should we worry about getting Covid from surfaces? Brought to you by USAID and NED. HAVANA TIMES – The San Isidro Movement (MSI) is everywhere right now in Cuba: on social media, in people’s conversations on the street and even on TV. "The Cuban government's campaign against artists only discourages Joe Biden's officials from prioritizing policies of rapprochement toward Cuba." The government knows culture and art are liberating, and they are afraid of the freedoms that the MSI is demanding. The strike continued until November 26, when government agents broke down the apartment’s door and arrested the 14 people inside. Writing about these topics, I got to journalism, precisely here on Havana Times. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez (D), the Chairman … Days after Solís was arrested, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed support for the MSI, saying, “We urge the Cuban regime to cease harassment of San Isidro Movement protestors and to release musician Denis Solís, who was unjustly sentenced to eight months in prison. Explained: What is the San Isidro Movement, posing a stiff challenge to Cuba's authoritarian regime? here to join our channel (@indianexpress). As per the New York Times, about two-thirds of the population now enjoys some kind of internet access, giving them the chance to rally around causes using social media. They are defamed in the public eye. Follow Express Explained on Telegram. The road towards democracy is long and tedious. The Cuban government did, however, release a political dissident, Silverio Portal Contreras, on December 1 to allay public anger. This is one of the Cuban Communist Government’s normal and historic practices. In addition to the movement’s particular objectives that this crisis has sparked. In response to reports that members of Cuba’s San Isidro movement have been detained, had their human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of movement restricted, and been criminalized simply for peacefully exercising their human rights, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International said: “The ongoing harassment and intimidation of members of the … The San Isidro … *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 24, 2020. Security forces, both in plainclothes and in uniform, surrounded the protesters. MSI members then began a hunger-and-thirst strike, locking themselves inside their San Isidro headquarters. For all the latest Explained News, download Indian Express App. Since 2018, the San Isidro Movement in Cuba has been battling the government over the artistic freedom of expression. The small San Isidro Movement in question campaigned for the re-election of Donald Trump in October, speaking to a South Florida-based audience, while applauding the damage being done to Cuba by the U.S. blockade, while asking for additional sanctions. Facebook data leak: How are Indian users affected? So, when the MSI demonstrated outside Cuba’s parliament against the controversial censorship measure, the government–which is usually known to swiftly crush any form of dissent– was forced to heed to public sentiment, and agreed to suspend the decree’s enforcement. These are demands that most of our people would support, as well as the international community. This caused a furore as Solís livestreamed the arrest on Facebook from his mobile phone, recording a police officer entering his house without permission. The government got really scared as news of the strike spread, as well as growing solidarity and support. His home remains locked up, and they continue to demand freedom for Denis Solis. As more Cubans organise using the net, experts say that the Communist Party may have a tough task on its hands in the future, curbing civic activism just as it would be tackling COVID-19’s economic fallout in the country. Supporters of the San Isidro Movement outside the Cuban embassy in Washington DC earlier in December. Los solicitantes pueden enviar solicitudes de financiamiento a la Oficina de Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Trabajo (DRL) del Departamento de Estado antes del 21 de diciembre.” translation from this article: https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/391981.us-subversion-in-kuba-havanna-wehrt-sich.html, Your email address will not be published. Yoani Sanchez writes in 14yMedio from Havana via Translating Cuba: Spontaneity in San Isidro, Imposition in Trillo Park They are separated by four months and an abyss. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines. In September 2018, the Cuban … We urge the Cuban regime to cease harassment of San Isidro Movement protestors and to release musician Denis Solís, who was unjustly sentenced to eight months in prison. We can support Cuba and internal pressure to change at the same time. Two days later, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for “contempt”, and was sent to a maximum-security facility outside Havana, where he remains incarcerated. This gave far greater visibility to the civic movement. This would stop police abuse and court fraud from being legally protected. Some of them began a hunger strike. By late night, the government had to sit down and negotiate. What gave crucial firepower to the movement was a landmark 2015 deal between Cuba and the US, one of whose provisions stipulated that the Cuban regime should allow its people greater internet freedoms in exchange for opening bilateral relations with Washington. However, many people still don’t know what it is or continue to be misinformed by the government media. On November 9 this year, a member of the MSI, Afro-Cuban rapper Denis Solís, was arrested by the police. This is why it’s wiser not to aspire for things that are still outside our reach. The local activism that has sprung up due to this has already forced the government to budge on a couple of occasions. In Cuba, a country under an authoritarian communist regime for more than six decades, a campaign by artists and activists demanding greater freedom of expression is fast grabbing the limelight. The Movimiento San Isidro, or the San Isidro Movement (MSI), started two years ago to protest state censorship of artistic works, and has now become a platform for Cuban dissidents both within and … “Nuevas cámaras pusieron en los alrededores de mi barrio. Read more posts by Osmel Ramirez here on Havana Times. Then, when they (not Solis) were released, they went back to the house of one of MSI’s members, Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara. [1] Con sede en La Habana, la capital cubana, combinan sus actividades de activismo político con intervenciones artísticas. Since December 2018, when Cuba first allowed access to the web on mobile phones, its use among the island’s residents has proliferated. However, many people still don’t know what it is or continue to be misinformed by the government media. Om MaratheOm Marathe is a sub-editor at the Indian Express, with interests in fo... read more, * The moderation of comments is automated and not cleared manually by, Copyright © 2021 The Indian Express [P] Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The battle continues on social media and is gaining momentum. Cuba has achieved so much compared to pre-revolutionary times. This was completely unheard of, at least in Cuba’s controlled social landscape. We were very lucky to meet Reinier at Ingenio San Isidro de los Destiladeros. November 27, 2020. Washington pretende utilizar este dinero para apoyar actividades “que promuevan los derechos civiles, civiles, políticos, religiosos y laborales en Cuba”, según el llamado a licitación publicado este viernes por la periodista estadounidense Tracey Eaton en su blog “Cuba Money Project”. They also lock up many opposition members without having to file their cases as “political prisoners”. Senators has introduced a Senate resolution expressing the United States’ solidarity with the San Isidro Movement in Cuba, which is comprised of independents artists and activists that have recently been targeted by the Cuban regime for protesting in support of their right to freedom of expression. They believe that virtue is something that is only reserved to their followers. This in a way that allows them to do their job but also protects civilians’ human rights. Always labeling anyone who stands up against it as scum, a worm, traitor, mercenary, criminal, drug addict, alcoholic or lumpen. These arrests too were recorded on cell phones and posted on social media networks. Cuba: Harassment of San Isidro movement exemplifies ongoing assault on freedom of expression (News, 20 November 2020) Cuba: New administration’s Decree 349 is a dystopian prospect for Cuba’s artists (News, 24 August 2018) Some of the officers shouted communist propaganda slogans at them, while others clicked pictures and recorded videos of the protesters. El Ministerio de Cultura de Cuba publicó este sábado varios enlaces en su página de Facebook en los que se dice que el Movimiento San Isidro "es una farsa" y … A place where every Cuban regardless of any distinction is welcome. The San Isidro Movement is a group of Cuban artists, journalists and academics formed in 2018 to protest against the government's censorship of artistic expression in Cuba.