July 21, 2021
Havana: A week after unprecedented anti-government protests in communist Cuba, a superficial calm appears to have returned to the island.
But experts told AFP discontent will continue simmering unless people see a clear improvement to their economic conditions and political rights. Analysts look at possible scenarios for the future.
With cries of "we are hungry," "down with the dictatorship," and "freedom," the July 11 protests erupted spontaneously in the town of San Antonio de los Banos before spreading like wildfire to some 40 other locations, including the capital Havana.
The protests lasted little over a day, resulting in one death, dozens of injured and more than 100 arrests. Cuban political scientist Rafael Hernandez foresees that the communist authorities, used to controlling all aspects of life in Cuba, will now seek to identify and keep a