US Restrictions Cause Food and Energy Shortages in Cuba Protests

A local communist party office was set ablaze during a rare antigovernment demonstration on the island of Cuba. On Saturday, authorities reported that five individuals were taken into custody following an incident in which protesters allegedly vandalized the office of the municipal committee of the Communist Party.

According to state-run newspaper Invasor, the event began peacefully but escalated into vandalism after an exchange with local authorities. Unverified videos of the incident show protesters entering the building and throwing stones at a burning structure. Shouts of “liberty” were reportedly audible in one of the videos, as captured by news agency Reuters.

Other government buildings were also damaged during the overnight protests. While no injuries have been confirmed, the details surrounding the event remain unclear. Human rights group Justicia11 reported hearing gunfire in the area, but state-run news outlet Vanguardia de Cuba denied these claims.

Protests are relatively rare in Cuba due to the threat of government repression. However, recent weeks have seen growing frustration among Cubans over food and electricity shortages. Some have taken to banging pots and pans at night as part of a protest tradition known as “cacerolazo.” Students at the University of Havana held a sit-in on Monday after their classes were suspended due to energy restrictions.

Economic conditions on the island have worsened since US President Donald Trump cut off Cuba’s access to oil. Trump ordered an end to transfers of Venezuelan oil and funds to Cuba following the US attack on Venezuela in January. He later issued an executive order that effectively severed Cuba’s ability to import fossil fuels from other countries, threatening economic penalties against any country supplying Cuba with oil.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that he had held talks with US officials, noting that no petroleum shipments have arrived in Cuba for three months.

Source: Al Jazeera