Residents of the old road in Guanabacoa staged a public demonstration this Sunday, blocking traffic as a form of protest against the prolonged blackouts and the lack of water affecting the municipality.
The images were shared by journalist Mario J. Pentón on social media, where the video garnered over 45,000 views. In the recording, neighbors can be heard expressing their desperation, explicitly mentioning the lack of water as the immediate trigger for the protest.
The protest in Guanabacoa is not an isolated event. This very Sunday, residents of Regla blocked Maceo Street demanding water and electricity after more than 24 hours without power in some areas.
On Saturday, cacerolazos erupted simultaneously in Guanabacoa, Regla, Central Havana, Old Havana, Cayo Hueso, San Miguel del Padrón, Santos Suárez, Marianao, Plaza de la Revolución, and Playa, among other municipalities in the capital.
The wave of protests is also spreading to other provinces. On June 5, residents of Santiago de Cuba protested in the Micro 2 neighborhood after more than ten days without electricity due to a malfunctioning transformer.
The backdrop of all this unrest is an energy crisis of historic proportions. The Electric Union reported a availability of only 1,000 MW against a demand of 2,570 MW in the early morning, with a projected shortfall of 2,020 MW during peak nighttime hours, which amounts to leaving more than 66% of the country without electricity simultaneously.
In some areas of Havana, blackouts have lasted up to 22 hours daily during June. The electrical crisis also worsens the water shortage, as the hydraulic system operates with only 37% of the fuel it requires, affecting nearly three million Cubans.
The causes cited by the Electric Union include breakdowns in thermal power plants, lack of fuel, and maintenance work, with key plants like Antonio Guiteras and Felton experiencing multiple unexpected outages during this month.
Guanabacoa has a history of protests related to the service crisis. In May, during the worst day of the year —May 14, with a deficit of 2,174 MW—, protests were reported in the municipality, accompanied by police repression.
The regime's response to the wave of protests has included arrests and judicial pressure. The organization Cubalex documented at least 14 arrests in Havana related to demonstrations against blackouts since March 6. According to recent reports, authorities have requested sentences of up to ten years in prison for some of the detained protesters.
Filed under: