MIAMI, United States. – The Cuban Conflict Observatory (OCC) reported a total of 863 cases of complaints and demonstrations in Cuba during October 2024. The increase compared to previous months reflects the growing discontent of the population in the face of multiple crises that affect the country, including electrical blackouts, food shortages, health problems and perception of government abandonment, according to the most recent NGO report.
According to the report, the protests cover various categories. Public services top the list with 202 complaints, followed by challenges to the State with 157 and situations related to food and inflation with 107. “This figure reflects the last straw of the people’s discontent and the inefficiency of the system to guarantee the access to basic services for human survival,” the report states in reference to the problems in public services.
The geographical distribution of the protests shows that Havana leads with 283 complaints, followed by Santiago de Cuba with 106 and Guantánamo with 65. This pattern shows that discontent is concentrated in the most populated urban areas affected by the crisis.
One of the most critical problems has been the total electrical blackout that affected the country during October. Interruptions in electricity supply have been frequent and prolonged, affecting daily life and economic activity.
The food crisis has also been the cause of numerous protests. Prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed, and shortages are widespread. The OCC report highlights that “a pound of sugar, a traditional product in Cuba, has reached unsustainable prices of up to 500 CUP, which reflects the serious shortage facing the country.”
In the health sector, 63 complaints were registered. There are reports about the lack of medical care and resources in hospitals. A mother in Camagüey reported the situation at the “René Vallejo Ortiz” Psychiatric Hospital after taking her son in crisis. “The hospital environment was worrying, with only one attendant to care for all patients,” the report states.
Social insecurity has also increased, with 99 cases reported. Recent violent incidents have shocked Cuban society, such as the murder of three members of a family in Central Havana and a multiple crime in Ciego de Ávila that included a four-year-old child. “This crime is considered an indicator of the increase in crime in Cuba, generating frustration and a growing sense of insecurity in the population,” the report highlights.
Regarding repression, the OCC registered 138 complaints related to actions by the authorities against those who protest or express discontent. The report states that “the Cuban Government has toughened its laws and decrees against freedoms of opinion, information, expression and demonstration with severe sanctions, including prison sentences.”
The report also mentions problems in other sectors such as housing, where 21 complaints were registered related to the precariousness of housing conditions, especially after natural disasters such as the Hurricane Oscar that affected the east of the country. In addition, difficulties are reported in transportation, funeral services and an agricultural crisis that has seen a significant drop in food production.
The OCC collects information from open and private sources, and has a network of activists and observers in all provinces of the country. “The identified protest expressions are recorded during the month in a record that is updated daily,” the report details on its methodology.
