The Cuban government holds a mass rally in Havana after the protest Reuters

Nelson Acosta

Havana (Reuters)-Raul Castro was one of those who attended a government-organized rally in Havana on Saturday to condemn the U.S. trade embargo and reiterate their support for the Cuban revolution. The unprecedented protests shook the communist country a week later.

Before dawn, government supporters gathered on the city’s seafront promenade, waving the Cuban flag and pictures of the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his brother Raul. The latter retired as the leader of the Communist Party in April, but promised to continue to fight for the revolution as an “infantry”.

The rally is a response to the nationwide demonstrations that broke out last Sunday https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/street-protests-break-out-cuba-2021-07-11 The worst coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began.

The government acknowledged some shortcomings of https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-lifts-food-medicine-customs-restrictions-after-protests-2021-07-15 this week, but mainly blamed https:/ /www .reuters.com/world/americas/cubas-president-blames-discontent-us-sanctions-2021-07-12 Protest against the economic difficulties caused by US sanctions by “counter-revolutionaries” funded by the United States.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who is also the leader of the Communist Party, told the crowd that Cuba’s “enemies are once again committed to destroying the sacred unity and tranquility of citizens.”

He said that as more and more cases of new coronary pneumonia appear in the country, it is not a trivial matter to convene a meeting: “We call you to once again condemn the blockade, aggression and terrorist acts.”

The authorities stated that similar rallies were held across the country.

“This revolution will last a long time,” said Margaritza Arteaga, a national social worker who attended the Havana rally.

She said that the workers were called by neighborhood committees, which were called committees for the defense of the revolution. She said that at 4 in the morning, a national bus came to pick her up.

Shortly before the official start of the rally in Havana, the authorities took a man chanting anti-government slogans such as “freedom” from the crowd.

The number of people detained during or after the protest has increased as new reports continue to emerge with irregular interruptions https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-unrest-idAFKBN2EJ218 Internet and news in the state Telecom monopoly in applications.

The latest statistics from Cubalex, an exile rights organization, show that the number of detainees is 450, but some of them have been released. Activists accused the authorities of cracking down because some videos of police beating protesters appeared on social media.

The government has not provided official numbers of detainees, although it said it has arrested those suspected of inciting unpatriotic unrest or committing acts of sabotage. The national television broadcast scenes of people robbing Cuba’s controversial dollar store and overthrowing empty police cars.