They desperately need food and medicine, but the Cuban protesters shouted political slogans Freedom!, Down with the Dictatorship! and Down with Communism! during the largest demonstrations in the history of the country, begins the new report published on Wednesday by specialists from the respected Cuban Conflict Observatory. But despite the wave of terror unleashed to crackdown on the protests, the dictatorship will not be able to restore the before July 11 "normality", the specialists stated.

In July, more than 187,000 Cubans participated in multiple protests throughout the island, a scenario that has given way to "a radically different Cuba," said the Cuban Conflict Observatory on Monday in its report.

The specialists point out that the most significant thing this month is not the increase in the number of protests in the country, but the massive participation.

This represents, according to the report, an increase of 11.687 per cent. A simple comparison shows that 1,600 Cubans participated in anti-government demonstrations in June, the majority in individual protests.

584 public protests occurred in Cuba in July, compared with 249 in June, the document added.

Of the protests in July, 435 (74 per cent) were related to political and civil rights, and the remaining 149 (26 per cent) were linked to the demand for economic, social and cultural rights, the study says.


From home protests to the street protests in 11 months

An average of more than 18 daily protests took place, a growth of 234 per cent compared to the previous month (8 daily).

According to the organization's specialists, the protests of July 11 and 12 transformed Cuba. Massive protests that involved more than 187,000 citizens from all provinces of the country with anti-systemic slogans took place" the authors of the report stressed.

According to the report, in 11 months Cubans have gone from criticism and laments in trusted circles to protests in networks and public spaces and, finally, in July, to a massive insubordination.

On July 11 and 12, a total of 49 provincial and town capitals were the scene of anti-government and anti-establishment protests that involved thousands of citizens of all ages, races, professions, cultural levels and gender, said the OCC specialists.

This national uprising that lasted for 48 hours - and in some places longer - were preceded and followed, throughout the rest of the month, by protests that were also public, even if they were smaller, group or individual, the report adds.


This is a war against the people

According to the OCC, with the June 12 protests "the military caste has verified that the citizens have lost their fear of the repressive apparatus, which is why they are now turning to terror. This is a war against the entire people."

The specialists detailed that government repression are no longer only directed at opposition organizations "because the main challenge comes from the citizens." The repressive method is now massive, the authors underlined: "neighborhood raids, beatings, expedited sentences."

The report concludes that "Cuba after July 11 is radically different. Citizens have learned that many of their neighbors think the same way as they do and that the people have real power if they decide to use it. The oppressors awoke: the contempt they felt for the population it has become fear. The dictatorship will not be able to restore the "normality" prior to July 11.

A new stage "opens for the island.