A Cuban entrepreneur to Díaz-Canel: 'We need to be able to work with freedom, not fear'

The Cuban entrepreneur Jevier Freisjo Ruiz posted a video addressed to Miguel Díaz-Canel and his team to complain of the obstacles he has encountered in Cruces, Cienfuegos, where he is struggling to operate a business in a locale that he repaired after finding it destroyed. According to his account, since 2017 the officials of his municipality have thrown up obstacles to his business, in addition to hitting him with two fines, with a worker and him receiving 2,000-peso 5,000-peso fines, respectively.

Fresjo appealed the fines in his locality, and at another state entity, where officials gave him an "insulting" response, he said. "I’m using this medium because I’m afraid, because of the things they told me in that place. I’m afraid of what may happen to us, because it was very clear what their behavior must be like," he said on Monday.

The cuentapropista, a term used by the Cuban Government to designate the self-employed, said that he has proof that the fines levied on his worker were unfair, for allegedly violating measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and on him, as the owner of the premises.

Freisjo stated that he tried to explain to the officials that he has a debt with the bank in the amount of 247,000 pesos, at 7% interest, and that the day before the fine he paid 4,815 pesos of that loan, 2,040 pesos for electricity, and 2,400 for his workers' Social Security costs.

"That didn't matter at all, and they slapped us with the fine anyway. I would like his working group to pay attention to us. I am ready to present everything that I have said, and all the proof they're requesting. I have plenty of witnesses. I'm just asking them to let me work in peace, without fear, without fear of retaliation, and without an unjust witch hunt after us, because I'm a worker, not a thief, not a troublemaker, nor am I running some kind of hustle, or doing anything like that," he told Díaz-Canel.

In his 13-minute video the self-employed businessman explained that he has leased a locale in Cruces, where he offers gastronomic services, and intended to offer shows too, but the Rafael Lay Provincial Music Center only authorized two.

Freisjo has been reporting problems suffered by his establishment, Aires Libres, since 2017, when he was fined after taking a small group to the place, to be able to pay off his debt to the bank. Before, only one singer could perform at that place.

The entrepreneur remodeled a locale that had been closed for almost 16 years, and fixed everything up "little by little," he said.
Although he was exempt from payments for two years due to these constructive actions, he had to ask the bank for a loan of 205,000 pesos for air conditioning on the premises, which rose to 247,000 pesos, due to the interest. Freisjo said that he has pictures "of the state in which the premises were found" and everything built through his efforts.

According to him, he has appealed to the State Council, the Provincial Government; Commerce, Gastronomy, and the Ministry of Internal Trade, all without responses. The authorities, meanwhile, have denied him requests related to his business activities. Along the way, he has had to renegotiate his debt with the bank and later start paying, despite the drop in his business activity due to all the bureaucracy and pandemic-related measures.

"I have written approximately a dozen times to the Presidency of the country, and about seven times to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, where I have repeatedly called and asked them why, having one business, I cannot have another, when the Official Gazette says that I can. I have never been able to communicate with the person who is supposed to give me an answer," he told Díaz-Canel.

"After so many complaints, I have no other option, and, if you don't help us, I simply don't know what path to take. I don't know what will happen to us, to our families. I repeat: I am afraid. I ask you, please, Mr. President, to respond to my appeal and put an end to this series of injustices against all of us, the self-employed. There are many complaints. We have to be able to work with freedom in order to provide a service."

"I don't want this statement to be political. What I want is to be able to work," he concludes.