In the afternoon hours of the 7th of December, the neighbors of the Las Minas neighborhood in Placetas showed themselves to be extremely indignant with the police and State Security.
But this time, ire and indignation did not have anything to do with police brutality against those who, in my house, were founding the Academy of Overcoming and Civic Struggle of the Central Opposition Coalition; but because this time the fleet of uniformed gendarmes who spent the night from its early hours in the hallways of the guarapera deprived the locals of their daily and miserly sustenance, the breads and croquettes that are sold there.
“They’re starving! They didn’t leave even croquettes for us, and those are State Security!”, said a passerby. “What they are is starving gluttons, now they leave with their bellies full and if they’re hungry, in the unit is their hot potato, or they’re going to a tasting or they’ll simply buy one in the shopping“, said another.
“The human rights people are right, these people are sons of b…..s!”, commented in a loud voice an old lady who was coming back from the guarapera with an empty bag, exclaiming “Those are some inconsiderate people! At this hour I always arrive at the guarapera, order two egg sandwiches and ask them to give eggs to me uncooked, and with this bread I take my granddaughter’s afternoon meal to her at school.”
“All those gluttons and abusers are over there!”, was heard being said by a drunk in full delirium. It was summed up by a young man exclaiming and motioning so everyone could see him, “That tool, Major Vega was eating them by the fistful, and that Captain Pedro Perez must be getting over extreme anger, he came from Santa Clara to kill an old hunger, those soldiers ate everything!”, he said, withdrawing before the sarcastic laughter of approval from all who were now close to the famous guarapera of Las Minas in Placetas.
Translated by Raul G.
December 9 2010
