Challenges Faced by Cubans Amid Protests and Shortages
A woman and a boy are seen trying to catch a ride during a planned power outage in Bauta, Cuba, amidst the ongoing energy crisis on the island. The situation has escalated with frequent blackouts in recent times.
Ramon Espinosa/AP
A woman and a boy attempt to hitch a ride during a scheduled power outage in Bauta, Cuba, Monday. The island is facing an energy crisis, with waves of blackouts worsening in recent weeks.
MEXICO CITY — Recent days have witnessed hundreds of protesters taking to the streets in Cuba, expressing their anger over the scarcity of food and electricity. The demonstrations, marked by chants of “hunger” and “we want food,” have primarily occurred in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second-largest city, and nearby towns in the southeastern region.
These protests represent the most significant anti-government movements since 2021, when a massive crackdown followed widespread demonstrations. Subsequently, the economic conditions have deteriorated further, leading analysts to label the crisis as the most severe in over three decades.
Claribel, a 58-year-old resident of Santiago, shares that daily life involves enduring at least five hours of power outages. The scarcity of food is so acute that her 2-year-old great-nephew is being fed juice instead of milk. Moreover, public transportation has come to a halt due to fuel shortages.
“The situation here is horrible,” Claribel laments. “To live in Cuba is a tragedy.” For her safety, NPR has chosen not to disclose her last name.
The Cuban economy began to decline during the pandemic, exacerbated by a significant drop in international tourism and a surge in inflation. Concurrently, former President Donald Trump imposed various sanctions on Cuba after reclassifying the country as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
In recent months, conditions in the country have worsened dramatically, particularly in impoverished regions outside the capital, Havana. Fuel prices have skyrocketed fivefold since the start of March, leading to a sharp increase in public transportation costs. The Cuban government even suspended all sports events due to transportation challenges, while blackouts have become a regular occurrence.
Drivers and motorcyclists are depicted queuing up to refuel at a gas station in Havana on Jan. 9, following a 500% surge in fuel prices announced by the Cuban government.
Drivers and motorcyclists line up to fill their tanks at a gas station in Havana, on Jan. 9, a day after the Cuban government announced a 500% hike in fuel prices.
The communist government, which employs a rationing system to distribute food per household, has now started restricting bread allocations to children and pregnant women. Some analysts argue that the current conditions surpass the economic crisis that ensued after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, known as the Special Period.
“I was a child during the Special Period, and I remember that we received a daily ration of bread. Every Cuban. Not this time,” recalls Ricardo Torres, a Cuban economist at American University in Washington, D.C. He attributes Cuba’s challenges, from food shortages to power cuts, to the country’s substantial financial deficit and the lack of funds for imports. Dilapidated power plants have ceased operations, and the remaining ones lack sufficient fuel to function.
Turkish powerships are shown docked at the bay in Havana on Feb. 17, 2023.
Turkish powerships docked at the bay in Havana, on Feb. 17, 2023.
“Around 95% of Cuba’s electricity is generated by power plants burning oil, including fuel oil, diesel, and crude oil. Without fuel, the plants cannot operate,” explains Torres. Consequently, he emphasizes, “no fuel, no electricity.”
For over two decades, Cuba relied on oil-rich Venezuela, a political ally, for crude oil and fuel in exchange for sending medical professionals and educators to the South American nation. However, as Venezuela’s oil production dwindled in recent years, its support for Cuba also diminished.
Reports suggest that Russia is preparing to dispatch a large oil tanker to aid Cuba during the crisis. The Cuban president has pledged to address the protesters’ grievances while condemning “enemies of the revolution” for inciting unrest and accusing the U.S. of fueling the protests. A Cuban government spokesperson attributed the economic crisis to decades-old U.S. sanctions complicating the island’s fuel and food purchases.
Johanna Cilano Pelaez, a researcher at Amnesty International, acknowledges the impact of U.S. sanctions on Cuba’s economy but deems it irresponsible to solely blame them for the current state of affairs.
Presently, the Cuban government’s response to the protests has been relatively restrained compared to 2021, when numerous demonstrators were arrested, and some received lengthy prison sentences.
While authorities have detained some protesters recently, they have also distributed additional rice, milk, and sugar in an attempt to pacify the escalating discontent.
Older individuals are seen lining up to purchase bread at a bakery in Havana on March 8.
Older people line up to buy bread at a bakery in Havana on March 8.
In Santiago de Cuba, Claribel notes that the populace’s frustration and anger are surpassing their fear of reprisal from the government.
“The people won’t retreat,” she asserts. “Without the protests, we would still lack essential food items.” Planning to participate in demonstrations, she intends to bring her grandchildren along, emphasizing, “They can’t harm the children.”
