Fed up with a month-long water shortage and faced with yet another power outage, the residents of La Loma de Fumero in the capital's Regla municipality took to the streets last night. They banged pots and shouted slogans condemning the indifference of the authorities. Videos shared on Facebook by users like Hermes Yasell-CubaFace show residents chanting, "We want water, damn it! We want water, damn it!" as they gathered in the middle of the street.
The protest erupted just as the area experienced a fresh blackout, heightening the tension. The demonstrators demanded an immediate resolution to the problem that has left them without potable water for a month. They declared they would not leave until a water truck arrived or the service was restored, highlighted the user La Tijera on Facebook.
"Enough is enough," the locals asserted. This neighborhood uprising underscores the collapse of essential services in Cuba, with broken water supply, incessant power outages due to energy deficits, garbage piling up on every corner, and authorities unable to provide answers.
On August 19, dozens of Cubans blocked the central Reina Street in the Centro Habana municipality with buckets, tanks, and empty containers to demand immediate solutions to the potable water shortage affecting thousands of families in the capital. Previously, desperation over the lack of drinking water and basic food pushed several residents in the village of Cajimaya, in Mayarí, Holguín, to protest peacefully, tired of government neglect and the constant deterioration of their living conditions.
On the night of September 3, a spontaneous protest broke out on Águila and Monte streets, also in Centro Habana, when a group of neighbors took to the public roads to demand the restoration of the potable water service they have been deprived of for over 30 days.
Just days later, a group of residents in the capital reported on a Canal Habana television segment that they had been without the essential liquid for more than a month, despite promises of distribution through water trucks. During the broadcast, residents questioned the lack of effective solutions and expressed their outrage over the failure to deliver services.
In mid-September, residents near the Tejas Corner in the Cerro municipality of Havana staged a pot-banging protest over a blackout that lasted more than seven hours. This was not the first time the residents of this area protested, as a similar demonstration took place in November 2024, after enduring three days without water or electricity.
The water crisis in Cuba has reached alarming levels, affecting over three million people, or about 30% of the country's population, who are now experiencing total or partial water scarcity, according to official data. In response to the deepening energy and water supply crisis sparking growing protests across various regions, the Cuban government has relieved district delegates from their usual duties to focus entirely on directly addressing the public's needs.
Understanding Cuba's Water Crisis
What caused the water shortages in Cuba?
Cuba's water shortages are primarily the result of aging infrastructure, mismanagement, and a lack of investment in water systems, compounded by frequent power outages that disrupt water distribution.
How are Cubans responding to the water crisis?
Many Cubans have resorted to public protests, blocking streets and demanding immediate solutions from the government to restore water supply, revealing widespread frustration with the ongoing shortages.
What measures has the Cuban government taken in response to these protests?
The Cuban government has freed district delegates from their usual jobs to focus on addressing the public's needs amid the crisis, although many citizens remain skeptical of the effectiveness of these measures.