Residents of the Cataluña shelter, located in the Vista Alegre neighborhood of Lawton, stood firm this Saturday in front of workers from Aguas de La Habana to prevent them from opening the street in order to connect a military facility directly to the water supply line of the Diez de Octubre municipality, according to journalist Magdiel Jorge Castro's report on Instagram.
The neighbors' outrage has a concrete reason: they lack running water and depend on trucks to supply them, while the authorities aimed to ensure water supply to what the residents refer to as "the Poligráfico," a military facility located at the end of the street.
"All the neighbors went out to address that, because there is no water here, but on top of that, they were going to provide them with water so that it would actually reach them," recounted one of the residents to the journalist.
A neighbor stated that work related to passports is carried out at that facility, and that in the past, activities connected to currency printing were also conducted there, although the journalist himself clarified that he could not independently verify these accounts.
During the protest, several police officers were present, and according to collected testimonies, there was also a general. Ultimately, the work did not continue, and the authorities promised to increase the delivery of water trucks, a promise that remained unfulfilled the next day.
The episode occurs in the context of a water crisis that, in July, left more than half a million residents of Havana without water, worsened by the fact that 87% of the capital's pumping system depends on the electrical grid, and blackouts halt the supply.
In August, a break in the main pipeline of the Southern Basin left six municipalities without water, including Diez de Octubre, which forced the government to mobilize military water trucks to supply critical areas as a temporary solution.
The perception that military and state facilities receive preferential treatment in accessing basic services has been a recurring source of tension in the municipality. Diez de Octubre has seen months of protests: at least 24 people were detained in Luyanó in July following a demonstration over power outages and lack of water, and in Lawton, there were pot-banging protests and garbage burning on several occasions that same month.
The Catalonia shelter also accumulates other serious complaints. Residents describe a build-up of trash, dirt, constant power outages, and frequent disputes over water delivered by trucks. Additionally, there are alleged irregularities with property ownership: according to the neighbors, they are not being granted ownership of the properties, while individuals linked to Housing and the Government are reportedly selling spaces for around 3,500 dollars and charging another 500 for the documentation.
The Cuban state shelters have been documented as places of overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and corruption, where temporary housing solutions become permanent without the State addressing the living conditions of those who inhabit them.
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