Exhaustion, despair, and official neglect erupted once again in Santiago de Cuba. This time it was the El Carmen neighborhood, in the Mar Verde area, where residents, worn out after more than 20 days without electricity, decided to take to the streets and block traffic in a new protest that reflects the seriousness of the energy crisis in the province.
The images shared by independent communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada show men, women, and entire families blocking the main road for nearly an hour to demand basic necessities: electricity, water, and the presence of some authority following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.
In one of the videos recorded at the scene, a neighbor summarizes the collective frustration: “Look at this, in El Carmen… traffic is stopped so they can restore the power. It’s just a little bit of power, but only that small piece, and they still haven’t finished restoring it.”
The scene portrays the exhaustion of a community that has been surviving among ruins, darkness, and government silence for weeks.
Neither Government nor Electric Company: the loneliness of the people
According to Mayeta's report, at the time of the protest, no representatives from the municipal government, the Popular Council, or the Electric Company had appeared. No one came to listen to the neighbors, who continue to live as best they can among the debris left by the cyclone and the lack of drinking water.
Desperation contrasts with the official version. The Electric Company of Santiago de Cuba claimed on November 17 that 82% of the municipality's customers already have service and that all municipal heads are electrified. In El Carmen, however, the reality is different: a forgotten neighborhood still shrouded in darkness.
The protest even caught the attention of the agency AP, which reported that the situation forced the director of the Electric Union, Alfredo López Valdés, to travel to Santiago. The images shared by that outlet show police and MININT personnel clearing debris in an attempt to reopen the road that had been blocked by residents.
It is the same pattern that has occurred in recent protests: the government only shows up when people stand their ground.
A Santiago that erupts over and over again
The demonstration in El Carmen adds to a series of protests that have shaken Santiago de Cuba in recent days.
On Sunday, residents of Vista Hermosa and Altamira beat pots in complete darkness demanding electricity, while reporting that the repressive forces arrived before the electrical crews. Videos published by activists show dozens of people shouting “Electricity!” in the middle of the night.
Hours earlier, in La Loma de Chicharrones, another crowd took to the streets after twenty days without electricity. The immediate arrival of the police and the subsequent deployment of the electricity company were interpreted by many as yet another confirmation that in Cuba, problems are only addressed when they are protested.
In the city center, residents reported on Saturday extortion and charges of up to 15,000 pesos to reconnect the power, a practice that has further fueled indignation.
Also, on the night of this Monday, the community of San Pablo, in the José Martí district, lost patience. After nearly 20 days without electricity and living in extreme deprivation, dozens of residents took to the main streets, shouting and banging pots.
Witnesses from the buildings in the district report that the state's response was immediate: patrols, paddy wagons, and police forces militarized the area within minutes to contain or arrest the protesters.
So far, it is unclear if there have been any arrests. What is clear is that San Pablo, a vulnerable neighborhood affected by poverty, has said enough is enough.
"The people's resistance has its limits, and dignity also demands light," wrote Mayeta, summarizing the collective cry of a community weary of surviving in darkness.
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