NGO reports record protests in Cuba during June amid deepening crises

Cuba faced a "new historic record" of 253 protests in June, driven by a deepening energy crisis compounded by growing water and health emergencies, according to the NGO Cubalex. The organization's monthly report on human rights in Cuba indicated an average of eight demonstrations per day throughout June.

The peak occurred on June 19, when 31 public demonstrations were recorded in a single day, coinciding with consecutive days of significant electricity generation deficits. This surpassed the previous record of 30 protests documented on May 13, 2022, when Cubalex began its monitoring.

Havana continues to be the primary location for citizen protests, with 176 demonstrations. However, there has been a notable shift from peripheral areas to central city zones, particularly in the municipalities of Plaza de la Revolución, Diez de Octubre, and Playa. Santiago de Cuba and Villa Clara provinces have emerged as secondary centers of mobilization, with 35 and 17 protests respectively, a change from May when Ciego de Ávila and Holguín were secondary hotspots.

Cubalex also highlighted that protests are increasingly occurring "during the day" and involve actions such as burning trash and tires, street blockades, and throwing stones at police stations and banks. Graffiti critical of the Cuban government has also been reported.

Furthermore, Cubalex documented approximately 319 repressive events in June, including harassment, police operations, arbitrary detentions, violence, threats, and denial of medical care. The NGO noted that this number remained relatively stable despite the surge in protests, partly due to ongoing disruptions to internet and telephone services, which hinder the identification and documentation of repressive incidents. Cubalex stated that the "deterioration of material conditions has deepened the wear and tear of daily life" and "the deepening of social inequality," leaving the elderly, those without support networks, and families without remittances in a more vulnerable situation.