Cuba - August 2022

Protests in Cuba continue against poor living conditions, including worsening power outages attributed to corruption and mismanagement by the government. The situation in August was further worsened by a five-day blaze in an oil depot that destroyed 40 per cent of Cuba’s main fuel storage facility and caused enormous power outages. This was the worst fire in the country’s history, fuelling further instability and heightened tensions since the historic unrest of July 2021.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has urged the Cuban government to act in the face of shortages of medicine and food. The Cuban government has responded to the public’s demands with disproportionate use of violence against those participating in protests, including children, arresting hundreds and imprisoning activists for political reasons.

Sources: British Broadcasting Corporation, Diario de Cuba (1), Diario de Cuba (2), Prisoners Defenders, Reuters