Residents of San Miguel del Padrón in Havana, frustrated and outraged by a lack of water for over two weeks, took to the streets to protest and block their neighborhood roads on Tuesday night.
Images circulating on social media show dozens of residents from the La Rosita and Siboney areas gathering in the streets in the early evening hours, staging a spontaneous protest after enduring days without this essential service.
In La Rosita, a crowd blocked traffic on the Calzada de Güines after 16 days without water, according to multiple posts by Cubans on Facebook. The page La Tijera added that the residents also protested the lack of milk for children.
"This is too much already. No water, no electricity, nothing. We have nothing, and almost everyone is sick. This has gone too far," exclaimed Beatriz Jiménez during a live broadcast of the protest on Facebook.
"We have to protest, we have to stop traffic, and we have to do it like this," said the young woman angrily, showing the crowd gathered on Calzada de Güines in front of stopped cars and buses.
In the videos, several people, including children, can be heard shouting that they would not allow vehicles to pass until the authorities restored the water supply.
Another post from La Tijera highlighted similar demands from residents in Siboney, where water has been absent for 17 days.
"Residents of the Siboney neighborhood in San Francisco de Paula, in the San Miguel del Padrón municipality, protested and blocked the street after 17 days without water supply," the post stated, accompanied by photos showing barricades made of logs, branches, and other objects set on fire to prevent vehicles from passing.
This marks the second protest in San Francisco de Paula in just over a week.
On the night of Saturday, August 24, residents of the area took to the streets, banging pots and shouting "turn on the water," to demand an end to the water shortage and to protest the severe electricity cuts they have been suffering recently.
In previous weeks, protests were also recorded in the municipalities of Centro Habana, La Habana Vieja, and Diez de Octubre, after which authorities restored service.
As of the time of publication, it is unknown if the water supply has been restored in San Miguel del Padrón.
The government acknowledged on Tuesday that more than 600,000 people in the country are affected by water supply issues, according to a report from the official newspaper Granma.
In several provinces, over 30,000 customers are reported to lack water service; this includes Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, and Holguín. However, the situation in Havana is even more dire, with more than 130,000 people not receiving water.
José Antonio Hernández Álvarez, president of the Water and Sanitation Business Group under the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, attributed the problem to "the breakdown of a significant number of pumping equipment and the condition of the National Electric System (SEN)," as the main causes, according to the official account.
The official claimed that, "despite the will of the Electric Union, sometimes the availability of generation or the instability of the SEN prevents protecting the circuits that house the supply equipment."
Additionally, he argued that "sudden starts and stops, as well as voltage and frequency variations in the energy systems, cause collateral damage."
Understanding the Water Crisis in San Miguel del Padrón
Here are some frequently asked questions about the ongoing water crisis in San Miguel del Padrón and the wider implications for Havana and Cuba.
Why are residents of San Miguel del Padrón protesting?
Residents are protesting because they have been without water for over two weeks, and they are also facing other issues such as electricity cuts and a lack of essential supplies like milk for children.
What areas in Havana are affected by the water shortage?
The water shortage affects multiple areas in Havana, including San Miguel del Padrón, Centro Habana, La Habana Vieja, and Diez de Octubre. Over 130,000 people in Havana are currently without water.
What has the government said about the water crisis?
The government acknowledged the crisis and attributed it to the breakdown of pumping equipment and instability in the National Electric System (SEN). They claim these issues prevent consistent water supply.