Hurricane Ian left Cuba with traces of destruction, unreleased footage, barricades, and burning tires on the streets. After the lights finally came back on, the island regained electricity, especially in Havana. Yet a lingering sensation remained that nothing would be the same again. Protests over power outages and shortages intensified a preexisting mood of political unrest that had quietly existed, erupting during a public consultation that approved a new Family Law. The strong turnout against a project with high abstentions and a slow phasing out marked a turning point in a period of fragile consensus.
“We do not surrender the revolution, and we will not abandon anyone. This is the slogan that defines our revolution. We must understand social processes and engage with them comprehensively,” said First Lady Lis Cuesta on a Monday when the government assessed a weekend that echoed the social crisis seen in 11J 2021. This statement underscored a resolve to stay the course while acknowledging societal pressures.
We will not give up on the revolution and will not abandon anyone, a rallying cry that framed the call for broad participation. The emphasis was on understanding social processes and actively engaging a nation in action. #CubaForPeace
– Lis Cuesta
paradigm shift
The three days of protests, beginning on September 29, were unimaginable in the era before digital connectivity. There are more than seven million cell phones in circulation in Cuba, devices that feed back a mix of misinformation, legitimate criticism, anger, and frustration. The massive power outage turned many citizens into keen documentarians. Phones captured scenes of state violence that had previously circulated only as rumors. Documenting protests and repression has become a common practice, often accompanying footage that helps identify protesters and sometimes leads to legal actions. This warning comes from a local tech portal that monitors information flow and human rights concerns.
Technology is not neutral, especially during a national crisis in the largest Caribbean nation. A description from social networks noted an unidentified woman who appeared to have received specialized training before being involved in confrontations. A feminist collective highlighted at least 20 arrests during that month, a period described as turning point with decades of tension. An official Cuban conflicts observatory reported that in September there were hundreds of protests, including cacerolazos, barricades, and marches in Havana and across inland cities.
State violence against women in Cuba was a recurring image on social media during that period, amplifying the call for accountability. A post from a Cuban women’s collective and supporters drew attention to the issue while observers debated the government’s stance and the public’s demands.
position of government
Officials insisted that such demonstrations lacked legitimacy. The president acknowledged social concerns and urged a responsive approach amid a challenging situation, while arguing that those who act this way still fall within the range of public demands. The leadership reminded the public that Cuba preserved the gains of the revolution through hard work and a system that requires collective effort; the path forward, they argued, must balance reform with stability.
Commentary from a major Cuban political portal suggested that the upheaval associated with the hurricane intensified popular scrutiny of the government and the capital city, revealing fatigued faces and widespread grief. Critics argued that some public figures used the moment to push a political narrative, while a well-known cultural voice warned against equating national identity with political dogma. A debate about revolutionary principles and defensive stances surfaced as a central theme in the discussions about the country’s future.
secret conflict
The crisis could deepen due to ongoing shortages of energy and food. Inflation was approaching historic levels, while a monetary reform implemented earlier aimed to adjust the economy but also redistributed some costs toward workers. An economist commented that the regulatory package works as a mechanism to recalibrate the economy during a period of rising prices, though the real impact on daily life remained contested.
Separately, external pressures, including sanctions, continued to affect the trajectory of Cuba. Reports highlighted that a tiny portion of public funds went to education and health, while a larger share favored real estate and construction. For many, the vulnerability of a substantial portion of the population, especially among the poor, remained a pressing concern describing the gulf between aspirations and lived reality. These points have been raised by observers who continue to monitor the country’s social and economic challenges.
In the broader view, the country faced a delicate balance between maintaining a revolutionary heritage and pursuing necessary reforms amid hardship. The dialogue around the government’s response, the resilience of communities, and the long-term consequences of the hurricane continues to unfold as citizens seek stability and hope amid difficult conditions.