In a generous act of community support, the national headquarters of the Damas de Blanco, located in the Lawton neighborhood of Havana, welcomed dozens of locals on Saturday to charge their electronic devices. This relief came after a grueling 48-hour power outage.
From early morning, the organization powered up its small generator. As reported by Berta Soler, the leader of Damas de Blanco, on Facebook, this service was provided free of charge. The aim was to allow residents to charge phones, flashlights, and fans, ensuring they could stay in touch with family despite the ongoing blackout.
Soler noted that the power has been out for over 48 hours following the impact of Hurricane Rafael last Wednesday on the island's western region. This gesture stands in stark contrast to the chaos of a previous massive blackout two weeks ago. During that event, the disconnection from the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) led to long queues at places like Carlos III and public buildings as people desperately sought power sources.
At that time, citizens resorted to lining the streets with extension cords to charge their devices, and social media was flooded with images of people crowding around public outlets.
A Movement for Change
The Damas de Blanco is a Cuban opposition movement that has faced repression for years. Founded in 2003, the group consists mainly of women related to political prisoners, aiming to shed light on human rights issues within the country.
Recently, Soler experienced a violent arrest by State Security after she dismissed warnings from an officer known as "Felo," who threatened her with imprisonment if she continued her activism.