Hundreds of Cubans blocked Boyeros Avenue, one of Havana’s main thoroughfares, to protest peacefully due to the kidneys recorded for almost a week.
On the morning of this Tuesday, November 12, the residents of Havana appeared on the street, complaining that they had spent more than six days without power, since the time of the scheduled blackout. as a precautionary measure for Hurricane Rafael, last November 6.
Even when the meteor left the territory of Cuba that same day, the regime has not reconnected the electricity in several areas of the island for almost a week, apologizing for the damage caused by the hurricane , and now for the earthquakes recorded on November 10.
Therefore, although it was theoretically a deliberate and programmed blackout, the reconnection of the national electricity system (SEN) as a whole has not been as smooth as expected. To the structural damage of both phenomena, existing breakdowns and a perpetual lack of fuel are added.
Frustrated by the situation, citizens used fallen tree branches, knocked down by the bike itself and not collected by the city’s Community Services, to block the road, generating a lot of traffic.
At the same time, the action of the protesters caused a disturbance among drivers, who began to honk their horns, attracting the attention of the authorities and curious onlookers. It was here that activists expressed their displeasure with the lack of response from the government, which seems to be ignoring the impact of the blackouts on daily life.
And the long power outages have not only resulted in the loss of refrigerated food, which is already in short supply in the country, but they have exposed families to the extreme heat that has occurred, and removed entire service areas from drinking water, putting their health at risk.
Boyeros Avenue is one of the main roads in Havana, connecting the center of the city with the José Martí International Airport, and crossing strategic areas, so breaking it surrounds make a big impact on the town.
Although this strategy represents the last resort to attract the attention of the authorities, it still does not worry the governors, who sent elements of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) to the to distribute a presentation.
Despite the repression of the authorities and the constant lack of electricity and water in several areas, the people have not yet decided to take stronger and more violent actions to oppose the authorities.
In the midst of the emergency situation after Hurricane Rafael advanced, the Cuban Prosecutor’s Office warned of severe sanctions for those who express their displeasure, who will be charged with crimes of “aggression”. “public disorder” and “damage” involved. temporary imprisonment without bail.
