"SNet Is Not Fighting to Discredit the Cuban Government or Establish a New Political Order"

Ernesto de Armas has given up protesting for SNet after seeing the concern of his family and friends about the harassment of State Security.

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, , Ernesto de Armas, Havana, 16 August 2019 — Hi everyone. Those who have supported me and those who have supported SNet. I have something to tell you. During all this time I have stood firm for SNet, I have supported a cause that only seeks youth satisfaction, leisure, and sane and healthy information.

I have supported an initiative that has given us an opportunity, an alternative path, a space, a family… Unfortunately I have not been well received by the authorities of my country for doing this. Everyone knows very well what I have faced and do face. But today no more.

I am very sorry to disappoint you all, the users, many administrators that I know think like me but I don’t know how to dare to say it. To all those who from all parts of the world once belonged to SNet and today, seeing this phenomenon, have been humanized (sic) with us, because they know what Snet means to Cubans.

But I have a very close family outside of SNet, blood family, family in its strictest sense and my family is suffering. My mother and father suffer, my grandparents, my brothers, my partner… I can take it, I know I can, but unfortunately they cannot and I am making horrible moments happen to everyone around me. To all of whom I owe my life.

I carry the cause of SNet as if it were mine. However, those who represent us, the administrators, the general organizers, none of them have dared to even lift a finger for me. They have been the first to begin all this phenomenon and then have abandoned us to our (sic) fate.

I don’t want to be pessimistic but every day I see less clearly what SNet’s future will be. I want to make it clear that I have always supported SNet from peace and dialogue. I am against violence, no matter who it comes from, because violence only generates more violence. Hopefully someday those who threatened and intimidated me can understand.

But today I finally turn away from everything SNet is concerned with. I leave very sad, defeated, filled with bad memories, full of sorrows and much misunderstanding. Those who once swore to listen to youth, today call me something that I am not, just for being part of youth and raising my voice for a cause that is neither political nor religious.

I want them to understand something. Cuba is sometimes something strange, it doesn’t feel like this world. I know that it is hard for many to understand that SNet does not fight to discredit a government or establish a new political order. It is strange to understand that SNet only seeks to continue existing without leaving anyone out, including, without harming anyone, not even the Government or the leaders. The majority of SNet do not care about those things.

I respect that many are interested, but they have to understand that Cuba has a very different political culture from the rest of the world, and the majority of SNet, product of this culture, are not in the least interested in politics, from any side or from any mouth, they are simply politically apathetic.

I have put in my grain of sand for Snet, forgive me if I don’t have the strength to watch my family suffer for my decisions, maybe it’s a selfish decision on my part, but it’s the one I’ve decided.

Today I withdraw from everything that has to do with SNet and urge all those who believed in me not to lose faith, better times will come, someday SNet will be the whole world, that, unlike me, is impossible to stop.

To all who were going to gather on Saturday through faith in me, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I will not go. Neither Saturday nor any other day. There is too much division within ourselves, since I did my part and I will pay the consequences of defending SNet for a long time. But I will not allow my family or my friends to be dragged down with me.

A hug to all and thanks for supporting us all this time. Forever #YoSoySnet #FuerzaSnet

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