A group of Cubans residing in the Havana neighborhood of Vedado, in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality, demonstrated on Thursday night to demand that the government restore electricity service and basic services such as water.
Videos sent to CyberCuba reveal the indignation of several neighbors who confronted members of the Provincial Defense Council (CDP) who tried to calm things down and give explanations that did not convince at all.
“Who pays for my food from the cold? I have a little girl, there are older people, there are sick people…”; “My children haven't eaten hard food for three days"; “Enough of deceptions now, enough of deceptions now”, several women are heard saying in the heated discussion with the authorities.
“Why don't they take fuel from the patrols for the electric cars?”asked one of the neighbors, to which a member of the CDP responded that there is no lack of fuel for the electricity cars, but rather the problem is greater.
During the discussion, one of the demands was water pipes to solve the lack of water associated with the lack of electricity. To this claim, the government representative explained that "the hookah cars are not only from Plaza de la Revolución."
Fed up with promises and empty or insufficient explanations, which have reigned since it was declared the massive blackout On Tuesday, the residents of El Vedado ask for solutions.
“I believe in what I see, if nothing has been done in 72 hours, I have to say that nothing is done”said an older lady who was even applauded by those present.
Among the arguments used to calm tempers was the alleged recovery of more than 50 percent of the capital's electrical service.
On a Thursday night that was very busy in the Cuban capital despite the lack of light, there was no shortage of protests in other areas, including Bacuranao, in the Habana del Este municipality.
Amid growing reports of protests in some areas demanding the restoration of electrical service, the Cuban government Internet access was interrupted for several hours on the island between Thursday night and early this Friday.
Several sources that track internet interruptions confirmed “an almost total collapse” of traffic from Cuba. Reports from Internet users on social networks indicate that the service was interrupted around 8 pm (local time) and that it returned around 5 am this Friday.
In recent years it has been increasingly common for the regime to try to hide protests by “taking down” the internet on dates marked by massive expressions of popular discontent.
This Thursday, protests were reported in areas of the municipalities of Cerro, San Miguel del Padrón, Arroyo Naranjo, Habana del Este and Plaza and San Miguel del Padrón.
There were also reports of a powerful police deployment in different locations to intimidate the population and prevent them from taking to the streets.
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