The Cuban attorney general’s office announced on Saturday (9) the arrest of an unspecified number of people for “public disorder” that occurred amid tensions caused by the widespread blackout that lasted almost two days after Hurricane Rafael passed through the island.
The announcement came at a time when most of the country has already recovered electricity. Human rights organizations have been denouncing arrests and indictments of people for participating in demonstrations against the Cuban regime.
In a rare statement, the prosecutor’s office said that criminal proceedings were being processed for the crimes of assault, public disorder and damage to property in the provinces of Havana, Mayabeque and Ciego de Ávila. The agency did not provide details of the crimes or provide a number of people arrested.
“It was decided to impose a precautionary measure of provisional arrest on the accused due to attacks against authorities and police officers in the provinces, causing injuries and changes to the order,” said the prosecutor’s note.
Hurricane Rafael hit Cuba last Wednesday (6), classified as category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which goes up to 5. The phenomenon, coming just two weeks after Hurricane Oscar, caused a collapse of the country’s electrical infrastructure, already under pressure due to a fuel shortage and the historic economic crisis the island is going through, worsened by the embargo imposed by the United States.
On the 30th, the UN voted for the thirty-second consecutive year on a resolution to condemn the embargo against Cuba, approved almost unanimously – only the USA and Israel took a contrary position. Folha revealed in October that Brazil was studying the possibility of sending fuel, food and medicine to Cuba.
Human rights organization Justicia 11J said more than 10 people were charged by police in the Guanabacoa neighborhood on the outskirts of Havana. “The persecution of residents of the capital continues,” said the NGO in its X account, stating that the arrests are related to peaceful demonstrations against the regime.
Electricity began to be restored little by little from Thursday (7). On Saturday, 13 of the country’s 15 provinces already had electricity, but 19% of Havana remained without power, and there are reports of water and gas shortages.
Rafael left no fatalities, but left a series of material damage, the regime reported. Leader Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Saturday that “the reestablishment of electricity, communications, water and sanitation are our main goals for the weekend”, at the same time that he promised to act rigorously against “those who seek to alter public order ”.
