On Friday, the Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel paid a visit to the "Roble-Chibás" Defense Zone in Guanabacoa, a district in Havana, urging the use of local resources to tackle longstanding challenges faced by the municipality's residents. This visit coincided with the National Defense Day.
According to the Cuban Presidency's official website, Díaz-Canel emphasized the need to explore the productive and social potential of 176 transformations approved by the government in June. These include increased municipal autonomy, removing caps on private sector employment, and price decentralization.
The meeting highlighted key issues plaguing the area, such as frequent power outages, solid waste accumulation, and water supply disruptions. As the President of the National Defense Council and the Republic, Díaz-Canel stressed that defense is a core task for the nation. He also outlined other essential priorities for a Defense Zone, including plans to protect the population, complete Production and Defense Brigades, and address everyday concerns of the populace.
Joining the President were Esteban Lazo Hernández, leader of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State; Roberto Morales Ojeda, the Central Committee of the Communist Party's Secretary of Organization; General Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces; General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, Minister of the Interior; and General José Amado Ricardo Guerra, Secretary of the Council of Ministers.
On Thursday, the state-run company Aguas de La Habana announced a new malfunction in the Gato System, disrupting water supply to Los Camilos, Regla Zona Baja, Casa Blanca, and parts of Guanabacoa, without providing a timeline for service restoration.
This presidential visit came in the wake of several social tensions in the area. Recently, three women stayed up until 3:30 a.m. to prevent workers from the Electric Company from removing a transformer from their street.
In July, residents in D'Beche, Nalón, and Loma de la Pela staged pot-banging protests due to power outages lasting over 33 hours. Later that month, graffiti reading "Down with the dictatorship" appeared at the Barreras agromarket.
The visit is part of a tour initiated in late June across Havana's 15 municipalities to assess the functioning of Defense Zones.
A slide shared by Canal Caribe on July 17 positioned these structures within a strategy to coordinate responses to potential increases in social unrest.
As the government pushes to harness "local potentials," it is reported that nearly 500,000 Havana residents lack regular access to potable water. Nationwide, this figure reaches 2.7 million people.
Addressing Guanabacoa's Challenges
What local resources are being considered to solve Guanabacoa's issues?
The government is considering increased municipal autonomy, removal of employment limits in private firms, and price decentralization to harness local resources effectively.
How has the social unrest in Guanabacoa manifested recently?
Social unrest has included citizens preventing the removal of transformers and organizing pot-banging protests in response to prolonged power outages.
What essential services are affected in Guanabacoa?
Residents face challenges with electricity, waste management, and water supply, which are essential services currently disrupted in the area.