Trending Now - Cuban Protests Surge Amid Severe Food and Power Crises

WHO:

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed he was holding talks with U.S. officials regarding the energy crisis on March 12th, 2026.

The human rights group Justicia11 reported on the protests.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed he was holding talks with U.S. officials regarding the energy crisis on March 12th, 2026.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed he held talks with U.S. officials regarding the energy crisis.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel

Residents of Moron, Cuba

Cuban government and its interior ministry

WHAT:

Protesters partially destroyed the local communist party headquarters in Moron, Cuba, and set reception furniture on fire.

Videos published on social media showed protesters breaking into the office and throwing stones at a burning building.

The Cuban government reported that other government buildings were also damaged during the protests.

A Moron resident stated that hotels in the town have been shuttered amid the energy crisis, exacerbating economic woes.

Five residents were arrested during the protest in Moron, Cuba, which involved vandalism acts against the local communist party headquarters.

The Cuban government reported that other government buildings were also damaged during the protests.

Videos published on social media showed that a drugstore and a store were also affected during the protest in Moron.

The state-run newspaper Invasor reported that the protest began peacefully but degenerated into vandalism against the headquarters of the municipal committee of the Communist Party.

The human rights group Justicia11 reported that gunfire was heard in the area during the protest, and a man may have been shot, although this was denied by state-run news outlet Vanguardia de Cuba.

Five residents were arrested during a protest.

The local headquarters of the ruling communist party was partially destroyed.

Vandalism acts included throwing stones and setting reception furniture on fire.

An investigation has been opened by the Cuban interior ministry.

WHERE:

Moron, Cuba

The local communist party headquarters

WHEN:

The protest occurred on Saturday, March 12th, 2026.

The most recent blackout in Cuba was attributed to a broken boiler at a thermoelectric plant, which forced the shutdown of the power grid.

The protest occurred on Saturday, March 12th, 2026.

President Díaz-Canel mentioned that no petroleum shipments have arrived in Cuba in the past three months, indicating a timeline of lack of shipments since December 2025.

WHY:

Economic conditions on the island have worsened due to the cessation of Venezuelan oil shipments, which provided for about half of Cuba's energy needs.

Economic conditions have worsened due to the U.S. blocking Venezuelan oil shipments, which provided about half of Cuba's energy needs.

Economic conditions on the island have worsened since U.S. President Trump cut off Cuba's access to oil, which is part of a strategy to topple the government in Havana.

The protest was linked to energy supply issues and shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.

President Díaz-Canel blamed a U.S. energy blockade for the lack of petroleum shipments.

HOW:

Protesters expressed their grievances by banging pots and pans, a form of protest known as "cacerolazo."

On January 29th, 2026, Trump issued an executive order that effectively severed Cuba’s ability to import fossil fuels from other countries, threatening economic penalties against any country that supplied Cuba with oil.

Trump ordered an end to transfers of Venezuelan oil and funds to Cuba after a U.S. attack on Venezuela on January 3rd, 2026.

The Cuban government is currently relying on a mixture of natural gas, solar power, and thermoelectric plants for energy.

The depletion of fuel oil and diesel has forced two power plants to shut down, limiting power generation at solar parks.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 05:29 UTC)

On March 12, 2026, protests erupted in Moron, Cuba, where demonstrators partially destroyed the local communist party headquarters and set furniture on fire, driven by worsening economic conditions due to halted Venezuelan oil shipments. Videos shared on social media captured the chaos as protesters broke into the office and threw stones at a burning building, while a local resident noted that hotels in the town have closed amid the ongoing energy crisis. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed he was in talks with U.S. officials to address the energy crisis, as the human rights group Justicia11 reported on the unrest.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 01:22 UTC)

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed he has been in talks with U.S. officials regarding the ongoing energy crisis, which has worsened due to the U.S. blocking Venezuelan oil shipments that once supplied about half of Cuba's energy needs. Last Monday, protests erupted in Moron, Cuba, leading to the arrest of five residents for vandalizing local government buildings, including the communist party headquarters. The most recent blackout in Cuba was caused by a broken boiler at a thermoelectric plant, which resulted in a shutdown of the power grid, highlighting the severe impact of these economic conditions.

(UPDATED March 14, 2026 23:01 UTC)

Today, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that he held talks with U.S. officials regarding the ongoing energy crisis affecting the island. This comes after a protest on Saturday, March 12, escalated from a peaceful demonstration to vandalism, with reports of gunfire and a possible shooting, although state-run media denied the latter. The unrest is linked to worsening economic conditions in Cuba, which have intensified since Trump cut off the country's access to oil as part of a strategy to undermine the government in Havana.

(UPDATED March 14, 2026 19:12 UTC)

On Saturday, March 12, five residents were arrested during a protest in Moron, Cuba, where demonstrators partially destroyed the local headquarters of the ruling communist party, throwing stones and setting furniture on fire. President Miguel Díaz-Canel has pointed to a lack of petroleum shipments over the past three months as a key issue, attributing the energy supply crisis to a U.S. energy blockade, which has led to shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. In response to the situation, the Cuban government is relying on a combination of natural gas, solar power, and thermoelectric plants, although the depletion of fuel oil and diesel has forced two power plants to shut down, limiting overall power generation.