Havana, Cuba – Anti-government demonstrators in the central Cuban city of Moron violently attacked a Communist Party headquarters early Saturday morning. What initially began as a peaceful rally late Friday night rapidly degenerated into a rare riot, driven by mounting public fury over a paralyzing 11-day blackout and severe food shortages.
According to state-run media, the unrest saw crowds hurling rocks through the windows of the municipal party committee building and setting reception furniture ablaze in the street.
Videos circulating on social media—verified to be from the coastal city located about 250 miles east of Havana—captured large fires and protesters chanting “liberty” amid the chaos. The vandalism also reportedly extended to nearby government-operated facilities, including a pharmacy and a state market, leading to the arrest of at least five individuals.
The desperate situation across Cuba has been significantly exacerbated by a United States oil blockade that has choked off crucial fuel shipments from nations like Venezuela. This embargo has crippled the island’s electrical grid, leaving millions in the dark since early March and severely hindering everything from food distribution to basic water services.
While violent uprisings are exceptionally rare under the communist government, the unbearable living conditions have pushed citizens to the brink, prompting Cuban officials to confirm they have recently opened diplomatic talks with the US to seek relief from the crippling crisis.
