Cuba Protests Over Food Shortages Escalate

HAVANA / SANTIAGO DE CUBA — In recent days, widespread public discontent has boiled over in multiple cities across Cuba as long-standing food shortages, severe power outages, and price hikes fuel protests and unrest. The demonstrations, rare in their scale and visibility, signal mounting frustration with government responses to the crippling economic crisis on the island.

Protests first erupted in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba where residents, many enduring intermittent electricity for up to 14-18 hours a day, took to the streets chanting “food and electricity” and demanding relief. Similar gatherings have been reported in Bayamo, Matanzas, and other provinces. Videos circulating on social media show queuing citizens, empty state ration stores, and clashes with authorities.

The protests stem from a combination of factors: long hours of blackouts caused by the failing Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, scarcity of fuel imports, deteriorated infrastructure, and inflation that has driven prices of staple goods well out of reach for many Cuban families. State-run ration stores, once relied upon for essentials such as rice, beans, sugar, milk, and cooking oil, are severely understocked.

Residents report that power outages are not only draining patience but disrupting basic daily life: preservation of food becomes nearly impossible, water supply is intermittent, and communication is hampered. In many areas, entire communities face multiple days without reliable electricity.

In response, the government has made public assurances that emergency measures are underway: deployment of additional food rations, restoration of power, and efforts to secure fuel supplies. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has attributed much of Cuba’s economic distress to U.S. trade embargoes and external factors, while warning against foreign interference. Officials say that supplies of rice, wheat flour, and milk for children are being prioritised.

Diplomatic tensions are also rising. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest with the U.S. Embassy after what it described as “interventionist” statements following the unrest. Meanwhile, international observers and human rights groups have called for the Cuban government to ensure protesters’ rights are respected and to open channels for dialogue.

While the protests have largely remained nonviolent to date, arrests have been reported in certain provinces, and internet and telecommunications disruptions have followed in some areas, complicating efforts by citizens to document conditions and organise.

The unfolding events underscore how Cuba’s current economic crisis — exacerbated by inflation, a faltering tourism sector, chronic shortages, and infrastructure decay — is deepening public grievances. For many Cubans, daily survival has become a struggle for basic needs. With no clear end in sight, analysts warn that unless meaningful relief is delivered swiftly, unrest could spread further, forcing the government into difficult trade-offs between repression and reform.