The announcement came at a time when most of the country has already recovered electricity
SÃO PAULO, SP, AND BRASÍLIA, DF (FOLHAPRESS) – The Cuban Attorney General’s Office announced this Saturday (9) the arrest of an unspecified number of people for “public disorder”. The episode occurs 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 who protested against the Cuban regime.
In a rare statement, the Prosecutor’s Office said that criminal proceedings were being processed for the crimes of attack, 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 the 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, its passage comes just two weeks after another hurricane, Oscar, caused a collapse of the country’s electrical infrastructure — already under pressure due to a fuel shortage and historic economic crisis. , aggravated by the embargo imposed by the United States on the regime.
On the 30th, the UN voted for the 32nd consecutive year on a resolution to condemn the embargo against Cuba, approved almost unanimously — only the USA and Israel took a contrary position. Folha de S.Paulo revealed in October that Brazil was studying the possibility of sending fuel, food and medicine to the Caribbean dictatorship.
Added to the pressure, this Sunday (10), the island was hit by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake hit the eastern portion of Cuba, particularly the province of Granma.
The Reuters agency spoke to several residents of the area, who reported that the earthquake was one of the strongest they had ever experienced in their lives. Homes and buildings shook violently, and dishes fell from shelves, these residents said. Many of the houses and buildings in the region are old and vulnerable to earthquakes.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 14 km, the US Geological Survey said. The earthquake was initially measured at a magnitude of 5.8, but this value was revised upwards.
Human rights organization Justicia 11J said more than ten 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 the capital, Havana, remained without power, and there are reports of water and gas shortages.
Hurricane Rafael left no fatalities, but left a series of material damage, according to the regime. 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 try to disturb public order ”.
