Cuban dissident hunger strike challenges government

The government has responded by questioning the authenticity of the hunger strike, surrounding Otero Alcantara's home with police and cutting internet to the neighborhood

The leader of a group of artists,writers and activists has announced a new hunger strike, just six months after one led to a rare protest in Havana, putting them on a potential collision course with the island's communist authorities. A previous group hunger strike by the San Isidro movement in November was broken up by police, resulting in a rare demonstration of around 300 people in front of the Culture Ministry in Havana. Since then, the group has been vilified by authorities as outside agitators working with the United States. The few dozen members have been temporarily detained repeatedly and often told they cannot leave their homes with communications cut.