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This Sunday, numerous videos circulated on social networks showing hundreds of people marching in the streets. Santiago de Cuba, the island's second largest city, and in Bayamo, protesting power cuts and food shortages. A few hours later, Govt Miguel Diaz-Canel He condemned the immigrants and the US government as being behind these demonstrations. What is happening in a communist country?

AFP contacted the 65-year-old Cuban on Sunday Santiago D Cuba (800 kilometers from Havana), confirmed by phone that people were on the street Protests.

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“People shouted 'food and current'” The man explained.

He explained Beatrice Johnson Urrutia, First Secretary of the Communist Party in Santiago de CubaAn attempt to pacify the protesters.

When the woman tried to speak, she said people who had suffered 13- and 14-hour blackouts in recent days shouted. “We don't want teeth! (Extensions)”.

the witness told AFP Then the power came back and “two truckloads of rice came to the warehouses because we didn't sell a single pound this month.”. It refers to foods Cuban government It is given monthly to every citizen Subsidized price.

EFE also gathered evidence Santiago de Cuba Confirmed that the resistance was absolute peaceful.

He noted that the demonstration began at 3:00 pm local time (7:00 pm GMT). A group of mothers took to the streets with their children demanding food and milk for the minors In a popular neighborhood on the highway Moreau.

These mothers were joined by other women, neighbors and passers-by, up to several hundred people, EFE pointed out.

In addition to the absence of haranguing foods And this blackoutEFE reported that shouts of a political nature were also heard “Independence!”y”Motherland and life!”, the motto of the historic anti-government protests on July 11, 2021, the largest in decades and crushed by the Communist regime, which jailed hundreds of people.

Several police patrolled the scene. Agents were on alert at all times. State security agents also arrived in civilian clothes, EFE reported.

The company said The police asked the protestors not to record videos on their cell phones And they prevented the protest from moving to Cespedes Park, as some mothers had hoped.

Officially, no protesters were arrested.

There were also mobilizations in Palma Soriano (Santiago de Cuba) and Bayamo (Granma Province).

On July 11, 2021, thousands of Cubans protested

Around 50 places on the island chanted “Freedom” and “We are hungry”. Police arrested more than a thousand people and hundreds were sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.

What is happening in Cuba?

Currently Cuba is facing the worst economic and energy crisis in its history.

Los Massive resistance Worsening in recent weeks, food shortages and inflation are hitting large sections of the population. The crisis has pushed many Immigrate to America.

The Lack of electricity Deteriorated due to breakdowns of outdated Soviet-era power plants Fuel shortage. Power outages occur for more than 10 hours a day in many provinces of the country.

Saturday, officials said Cuba They agreed to it The country has been “totally affected” by the blackouts.

“Practically, the country is completely affected, including in Havana, with significant damage,” Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said in an interview on state television.

“There are areas where there are whole mornings blackout And practically all day long and practically all over the country,” De La O Levy added.

Thermoelectric plant Antonio GuiterasVery important Cuba, is being maintained. Officials have promised to resume full operations on March 18.

Also, the Plants required Flammable To guarantee its performance. Cuba It depends on supplies from its allies to supply enough crude oil for its power plants, but imports have declined recently.

In order to defuse the situation, it was informed on Sunday Russia send Cuba A vessel carrying 650,000 barrels of crude oil worth nearly $50 million.

The EFE company reported that the tanker left, based on data from the Energy Institute of the University of Texas (USA). Russia Last March 9 and it is estimated to come Matanzas (Western Cuba) later this month.

This is the first export of crude oil from Russia to Cuba in over a year.

It should be noted that Russia was sent in 2022 Cuba About one million barrels of oil.

At the same time another partner Cuba, VenezuelaSending less and less fuel to the island.

According to the University of Texas Energy Institute, in the first two months of the year, Venezuela Exported to Cuba Averaged 35,000 barrels per day (bpd), below the 57,000 average in 2023 and far from the 100,000 bpd in 2016.

Third fuel supplier to Cuba MexicoMore than 5 million barrels were shipped to the island last year, with a total value of 391 million dollars, EFE reported.

Another problem Cuba They are their old power generation plants, which are past their design life and are already more than 40 years old. These should be stopped regularly Maintenance Or why breakdowns.

Referring to FoodAt the end of February World Food Program (WFP) UN affirmed Cuba for the first time asked him to send food urgently.

“We confirm that the World Food Program (WFP) has received an official communication from the government requesting support to continue the monthly distribution of 1 kilogram of milk to girls and boys under 7 years of age across the country,” WFP representatives indicated. In Cuba.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (Mincex) sent the letter to the WFP executive management in Rome late last year, as EFE confirmed from two sources familiar with the request. As a result of that letter, WFP was able to provide “144 metric tons of skimmed milk powder in February this year, benefiting 48,000 girls and boys between the ages of 7 months and 3 years in Pinar del Rio and Havana.” It is only 6% of the minors that the government intends to provide milk at subsidized rates.

The government blames the exiles and the United States

On Sunday night, the Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canelaccused “TerroristsAnti-government groups are located, he said America Incite protests.

“Ordinary politicians and terrorists are marching from the south in networks Florida To heat the streets Cuba with interventionist messages and calls for chaos. “They were left wanting,” he wrote. Diaz-Canel In social networks.

The President reiterated that Economic barriers what America applicable Cuba For six decades they were at the root of the country's current problems.

Besides, Cuba evaluates that The situation will improve if the US is removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorismA move to block commercial transactions and investments in the island.

“We will not tire of fighting the genocidal blockade or explaining to the people the causes of the problems and the government's efforts to move the economy forward,” he added.

This Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (Minrex). US Chargé d'Affaires in Cuba, Benjamin ZiffHe was called after messages from his embassy on the networks regarding the protests.

Minrex pointed out in a statement that Deputy Minister Carlos Fernandez de Gosio formally communicated to Giff “firm rejection” of Havana's meddling behavior and defamatory messages. US government And his Embassy in Cuba Cuba faces internal affairs of reality.

America cause of protests in Cuba A “desperate situation” due to blackout and lack of food and to be accused of interference was considered absurd.

“America is not behind these protests Cuba And the allegation is absurd,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.