In the province of Granma, Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the first secretary of the Communist Party, attributed the recent protests in Jiguaní's Santa Rita to issues with water supply. Her explanation, however, overlooked the deeper causes driving residents to the streets: widespread hunger, persistent blackouts, and pervasive poverty.
According to statements shared by Ortiz on her social media and echoed by state-run media, the protests on Wednesday in Santa Rita were addressed by Yordanis Charchaval, the first secretary of the Party in Jiguaní, along with the president of the Municipal Assembly and the local mayor. They met with the protesters to assure them that the water source at Chapala, disrupted by a damaged pump, would soon be back in operation after repairs in a workshop in the province of Mayabeque.
"The exchange here was calm, respectful, and with full understanding of the situation," Ortiz claimed, emphasizing the need for "frank, direct, and honest communication with our population." However, activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia shared images that painted a different picture. Videos on social media depicted residents chanting against blackouts and shortages of food and water, despite the government's decision to cut internet access to suppress the protest.
"They cut the internet, but people are still out on the streets!" Salcedo wrote, highlighting the bravery of the demonstrators.
Growing Unrest Across Cuban Provinces
The protests in Jiguaní are part of a rising wave of demonstrations sweeping across other provinces such as Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Bayamo. Cubans are taking to the streets to demand freedom and governmental change, calling for an end to blackouts, food shortages, and improvements in basic services.
While the regime claims to have ensured water supply via trucks, officials admitted during the protest that fuel shortages make it impossible to operate these vehicles, as oil is reserved for critical facilities like hospitals.
Denial and Deflection: The Official Strategy
As citizens demand food and freedom, the leadership continues to downplay social discontent, focusing instead on technicalities. The official narrative remains consistent: deny the depth of public dissatisfaction and shift attention to minor issues, attempting to dilute the severity of a widespread crisis.
Contrary to institutional rhetoric, tensions on the ground reveal a breaking point. Protests, increasingly frequent, mirror the economic collapse, political repression, and the regime's disconnect from its people.
Ortiz Barceló's Role in State Propaganda
Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló has a history of deflecting legitimate citizen grievances. Prior to the unrest in Bayamo, she took to Facebook, stating, "We live in a world where the freedom to hate has never been so out of control on social media... Let us not play into the hands of those who shout, whistle, and refuse to engage."
Despite her rhetoric, mounting social pressure forced Ortiz to address the protesters, amid a situation increasingly slipping from the authorities' control.
A Nation on the Brink
The protests on May 24 in Bayamo and Cienfuegos, along with recent demonstrations in Santa Rita, clearly indicate the decay of a political and economic model that has plunged millions of Cubans into hardship.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel's response, labeling protesters as "antisocials," reinforces the regime's strategy: criminalize dissent and deny reality. Nonetheless, the Cuban people are shedding their fear, and more are choosing to speak out, not just for water, but for food, electricity, and freedom, despite official media silence, repression, and digital blackouts.
Understanding the Cuban Protests
What triggered the protests in Jiguaní?
The protests were ostensibly triggered by a water supply issue in Santa Rita, but underlying causes include widespread hunger, blackouts, and poverty.
How did the government respond to the protests?
Government officials met with protesters to discuss technical solutions to the water issue, but attempted to downplay broader social discontent and cut internet access to suppress the protests.
Why are protests increasing in Cuba?
Protests are increasing due to economic collapse, political repression, and a growing disconnect between the regime and the Cuban people demanding freedom and basic necessities.