14ymedio, Havana, 11 June 2016 — Last Monday Asneida Muñoz Villa, vice president of the People’s Power in the city of Cienfuegos, was assaulted physically and verbally after asking for explanations from several citizens who broke a sidewalk while repairing the water system, according to the local newspaper 5 de Septiembre.
The official told the local media that he had asked to see the permit issued by the municipal government to carry out the work. However, one of the citizens who was engaged in the repair reacted angrily.
Muñoz Villa tried to call the police, but the man grabbed his cellphone and threw it to the ground. He then continued mouthing obscenities, according to the official, who was pushed and the attacker even tried to hit him with a shovel.
During the attack, the man shouted that the repair that was being done meant “food” for his children and didn’t accept the official’s reasons for admonishing him. The People’s Power vice president lamented that dozens of people were present at the time, but none came to his aid.
Following Muñoz’s complaint to the police, the man was arrested and charged with assault on authority. According to Article 142 of the Cuban Penal Code, “Whoever employs violence or intimidation against an authority, a public official, or his agents or assistants, to keep them from performing an act of their duties, or to demand that they do it, shall be punished by one to three years of imprisonment.”
Violence against officials of the People’s Power and the Communist Party have occurred in the past in the province, but usually the official press is silent about these incidents.
