Власти Кубы угрожают тюремным заключением незрячему правозащитнику за попытку самостоятельно подключить воду

Juan Carlos González Leiva, a visually impaired human rights advocate and lawyer, recently revealed in a social media video that he has been living without a water supply for over three years. He also disclosed that Cuban authorities have threatened to imprison him if he attempts to resolve the situation independently. In the recording, González Leiva explains that due to the state's inaction, he decided to establish his own water connection to the supply network, a practice commonly referred to in Cuba as a "water thief." Despite this, the regime's response was not to address the water issue but to warn him that the police would be sent to arrest him and maintain surveillance outside his home. "Everyone around here has set up their water connections, their own water thieves, yet I remain without water. We are making sacrifices to resolve this ourselves. The government neither solves it nor allows us to fix it on our own. They claim they’ve contacted the police to have me arrested, but I will not back down from them. Down with Fidel! Long live Free Cuba! Down with communism!" declared the activist. Background of Juan Carlos González Leiva Born in 1965 in Colorado, Ciego de Ávila province, González Leiva lost his sight entirely at the age of 21. Despite his disability, he graduated in Law from the University of Havana in 1996. He went on to establish the Independent Blind Fraternity of Cuba and the Cuban Foundation for Human Rights in 1998, and he currently leads the Cuban Human Rights Rapporteurs Council. His experiences with repression are extensive. In March 2002, he was detained during a peaceful protest in Ciego de Ávila, where he was beaten and isolated. In April 2004, a court sentenced him to four years of house arrest on charges of contempt, public disorder, and resistance. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention classified his case as arbitrary detention, and Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience. In 2013, the same organization reported death threats against him and his wife, Tania Maceda Guerra. Cuba's Water Crisis and Public Unrest González Leiva's complaint arises amidst an unprecedented water crisis in Cuba. As of September 2025, over 3.1 million Cubans—about 30% of the population—were experiencing complete or partial water shortages. By May 2026, the government admitted that 2.7 million people lacked adequate water access. This scarcity has sparked a wave of street protests. The month of July 2026 saw a record of 1,415 protest actions, denunciations, or critical expressions, as reported by the Cuban Conflict Observatory. The regime's response has been oppressive: four young individuals were detained in Sibanicú following water protests, and at least 24 people were arrested in Luyanó in early July. González Leiva's situation is not isolated among visually impaired individuals. On August 17, a blind man was seen protesting alone on a Havana street, banging a kitchen utensil and shouting slogans against the dictatorship. The Dual Punishment by the Cuban Regime The plight of González Leiva starkly illustrates the dual punishment imposed by the regime: not only does it fail to ensure water access, but it also prevents citizens from obtaining it independently. Those who attempt to do so face fines, police surveillance, and threats of detention. In the first half of 2026, the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights documented 1,949 repressive actions, including 257 arbitrary arrests, in a context where protests in Cuba have persisted since July 2021. Understanding Cuba's Water Crisis and Activism Why has Juan Carlos González Leiva been without water for three years? González Leiva has been without water due to the Cuban government's failure to address the water supply issues in his area. Despite his attempts to resolve the issue on his own, authorities have threatened him with arrest instead of providing a solution. What actions have been taken by the Cuban regime against those protesting the water crisis? The Cuban regime has responded to protests over the water crisis with repression, including arrests. For example, in July 2026, numerous people were detained for participating in protests related to water shortages.