A new day of protests shook the city of Bayamo in the province of Granma, where residents from several neighborhoods, fed up with prolonged power outages and food shortages, took to the streets to demand concrete solutions.
With shouts of "Children can't go to school!" and "We don't want more molars!", the protesters expressed their frustration at the presence of leaders from the Communist Party and the local government, who were heavily escorted by agents from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR).
Videos shared on social media show tense scenes on the night of May 23, in streets like 16 and 22, where citizens confronted the authorities, demanding electricity and food.
One of the recordings shows how an FAR officer with the rank of colonel tries to speak to the crowd, surrounded by officials and a lieutenant colonel from MININT. However, the people of Bayamo responded with boos, complaints of hunger, and demands for freedom.
According to reports from witnesses and social media users, following the arrival of the "black berets" and canine units, the electricity supply was suddenly restored in some areas, which many interpreted as a response to public pressure. "How cowardly the communists are. Don't give up, the people are in charge!" wrote a netizen from Bayamo.
The official press, such as , acknowledged the events, although they presented them as a “dialogue with the population” on the part of the authorities regarding “the complex energy situation in the country.”
These demonstrations join a wave of protests that has shaken the east and center of Cuba in recent hours, including mobilizations in Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, and other areas affected by prolonged blackouts and the critical food situation.
Meanwhile, the official response from Havana continues along the lines of criminalizing dissent. In recent statements, ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel described the protests as part of an “enemy strategy” and asserted that “disorders will not be tolerated.”
He also stated that those who protest do not represent the majority, downplaying the extent of discontent in a country where spontaneous demonstrations increase with each blackout or shortage of basic food items.
On his part, Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), posted a dark photo alongside residents of the capital to show solidarity, while official media attempted to downplay the media impact of the viral images. The gesture, however, was harshly criticized on social media as part of the regime's usual propaganda.
Despite the regime's efforts to demobilize and delegitimize these citizen expressions, public pressure continues to grow.
While the government tries to address the crisis with timely deliveries of rice and pasta, social discontent continues to grow on an island where empty promises are no longer enough to quell hunger or indignation.
The situation in Bayamo is part of a series of recent protests in other areas of eastern Cuba, where hunger and lack of electricity have pushed the population to the brink. The government’s response—more repression than solutions—reveals the fear of a larger social explosion.
Filed under: