Cubans strike Communist Party facility as energy crisis ignites fury
In the central city of Morón, Cuba, simmering anger over soaring food prices and relentless power cuts has erupted into violence as a band of protesters stormed a provincial Communist Party building, setting it ablaze in the process. Furniture was torn from the offices as fires were set late on March 13 and into the following day, while local police moved swiftly to detain those involved in the vandalism. Nearby, other state-run facilities, including a pharmacy and a government market, also bore the brunt of the unrest the BBC reports.
What began as a seemingly peaceful demonstration according to multiple media outlets rapidly descended into chaos. Footage circulating on social media captured rocks smashing through windows and flames leaping into the sky as the voices of demonstrators demanded change. Cuban authorities have already launched an official probe into the episode, sources say.
The unrest in Moron reflects a deepening crisis gripping the island, where blackouts of up to 15 hours a day are commonplace and have compounded severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine. In the capital Havana and other cities, residents have increasingly resorted to nighttime protests by banging pots and pans.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel recognised the legitimacy of public grievances over living conditions but also took to social media to warn that acts of violence and vandalism would not be tolerated by the authorities, before pinning the blame for the energy crisis on the United States. In doing so, he cited a blockade that has effectively halted fuel deliveries to the island for the past three months.
Amid the turmoil, Havana confirmed ongoing talks with Washington aimed at easing the current bilateral tensions. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has continued to call for regime change in Cuba and has threatened additional measures against any nation caught supplying oil to the impoverished state which remains heavily reliant on imports.
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