Yenier Alvarino would never have believed that communism would bring Cuba a bright future.
Growing up on the island just 90 miles from Key West, his father told him to ignore happy stories about the government. Alvarino took the lesson to heart and fled to the United States with his parents 15 years ago.
“My mother won the lottery for a US visa,” he said. “My father grew up claiming that (communism) was a lie. You have to go to school and behave, but you have to know the truth. “
Alvarino was 18 years old and narrowly missed conscription when he moved to Naples. He soon graduated with a college degree in health administration and now works for NCH Healthcare. He got married and has a family with four children.
“I love this country,” he said. “I have everything here. This is where my daughters were born. I work here. Everything is American here. I protest because I want the same in Cuba. “
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Alvarino joined fellow Cuban-Americans on the streets of Naples last week when news of anti-government protests in Cuba spread across the United States. The movement in Cuba began on July 11th and is considered the largest national protest in 30 years.
During the local protests over the past few days, Alvarino has snapped a megaphone and voiced his opinion in front of hundreds of demonstrators. He has contact with friends and family in Cuba and knows the plight of his compatriots. They’re protesting for more than supplies, said Alvarino.
“It’s a fight for freedom,” he said. “It’s not for food or medicine. You demand freedom. “
Young Cubans who grew up in the communist system are turning against the regime, Alvarino said. You see government lies as access to the global internet grows. A growing number of COVID-19 cases have pushed people over the limit, he said.
“The COVID situation you have now – all those tight supplies – is like the last drop of water in a glass that overflows,” Alvarino said.
Protesters in Cuba fight with sticks and fists, but the Cuban military is cracking down and killing people in their homes, Alvarino said.
“The Cuban community around the world is protesting and saying this is unacceptable,” he said. “They use military force against people who have no weapons.”
Alvarino wanted US military intervention to overthrow the regime and establish democracy, he said. Embargoes and supplies are not enough, he said.
The protests in Cuba and here will continue until things change, Alvarino said. People are “ready to wake up”.
“I protest because I want what I have here in Cuba,” said Alvarino. “My life is here, but I want (Cubans) the opportunity to go to college. The opportunity to grow up with food. The opportunity to have a good home. The opportunity to be free. “
Thaddeus Mast is a reporter for the Naples Daily News and The Banner. Support his work by subscribing to our local news agency. Find him on Twitter as @thaddeusmast.
See similar https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2021/07/18/cuba-protests-2021-naples-florida-man-cuba-wants-freedom-countrymen/8007904002/
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