"State of emergency in Santiago de Cuba"

State of emergency in Santiago de Cuba
By Tania de la Torre

Urgent appeal from Tania de la Torre Montesino, director of the Independent Press Bureau

I want to inform the world about the current situation in Santiago de Cuba. There is a general state of alarm in the province because there is a shortage of milk for children. They have spent two months drinking tea, sugar water, and anything else that happens to come along.

There is not enough money, meat is nowhere to be found, and the situation is worsening because the dengue fever epidemic continues to spread. Additionally, the potable water situation is critical. There are neighborhoods that have spent six months without any. All this before the backdrop of Santiago’s broken streets and septic tanks that contaminate the environment.

We are calling upon the authorities, above all on State Security agents who are repressing and harassing opposition activists. We ask that they go over to the people’s side, because it is now Cuba’s time. It is the right moment to reflect and to help the Cuban people. To help the Cuban people is not to cooperate with the dictatorship and to do everything within one’s reach so that change may come about.

Note: At this point, State Security abruptly interrupted the telephone link between the independent journalist and the Cuban Democratic Directorate.