Unwavering Support for Cuban Protests Against the Government: "No Human Can Endure So Much"

Amidst a climate of frustration and despair, Cubans took to social media to express their solidarity with the protests that erupted Thursday night in Havana. These demonstrations, sparked by a lack of electricity and water, were met with messages of anger directed squarely at the government, which many blame for the deepening crisis impoverishing broader segments of society. "It's outrageous; from 5 in the afternoon until almost 3 in the morning, no body or mind can withstand it. There's no water, no electricity, no transportation... it's like a horror movie," a user commented on CiberCuba's Facebook page, echoing the sentiments of thousands demanding freedom and an end to the misery.

Calls for unity against the regime were also prevalent: "Proud Cubans, unite and protest. Everywhere and always. The power is in the people. The revolution has always triumphed. Freedom for the people." The criticisms directly target the government for inadequate fumigations, lack of medicines, and clean water, while diseases spread and food spoilage increases due to the absence of refrigeration.

One social media user summarized the frustration: "This is what we must do, everyone to the streets, we can't take it anymore, freedom for Cuba." The demands extend beyond the immediate hardships: "Enough of being slaves, innocent children are dying from curable diseases, others from hunger and lack of medicine. My God, do something for that island so those shameless people leave power... it's been 65 years of anguish, enough already."

Protests Highlight Government's Failures

The wave of indignation online mirrored the protests that took place on Thursday, October 2nd, in Central Havana. Residents took to the streets with pot-banging protests, chanting "Freedom!" and even lighting fires in the streets. Several intersections were blocked in a peaceful demonstration, which included the participation of minors.

This protest followed one of the most challenging days for electricity supply, with outages lasting over 12 hours affecting much of the capital. The power crisis is compounded by a water shortage, with entire neighborhoods having been without service for over a month, forcing residents to pay exorbitant prices for private water deliveries.

So far, government responses have been limited to technical explanations and vague promises of reorganization, while citizens insist that the only solution is popular mobilization to dismantle a system they view as exhausted. The recent protests in the Cuban capital are significant because people continue to demonstrate despite the awareness that each action on the street risks arrest and lengthy prison sentences by the regime.

The harsh sentences handed down to the protesters from July 11, 2021 (11J), were intended to deter future demonstrations. Recently, the Cuban Prosecutor's Office requested sentences of up to nine years in prison for six men accused of participating in a peaceful pot-banging protest against blackouts in Encrucijada, Villa Clara. However, this situation reveals a contradiction, as the prosecution only references the act of "banging pots," yet the formal charge is public disorder.

Regime's Repression Extends to Youth

The Cuban regime's crackdown has also targeted teenagers, following protests on September 17 in Maniabón, Puerto Padre municipality, Las Tunas, where residents took to the streets demanding basic rights such as electricity, water, food, and freedom, according to the Alas Tensas platform. Earlier protests on September 13 in Gibara were triggered by prolonged blackouts and water shortages in the El Güirito community.

The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 27 people were detained after the demonstration, with four still imprisoned and the rest under strict surveillance. Despite this, authorities claimed they engaged in a "frank and honest exchange" with a group of residents from the El Güirito neighborhood, conducted "with much respect and in an atmosphere of dialogue and tranquility" to explain the causes of the energy crisis.