A Cuban mother from Camagüey, known as Yosleydis Rodríguez Rodríguez, staged a solitary protest on Thursday in front of the Provincial Government Headquarters in Camagüey. Her demonstration was a response to the relentless power outages and the government's neglect affecting the community. The resident of the La Güernica neighborhood appeared visibly upset upon arriving at the government building, vowing not to leave until a resolution was provided, as reported by exiled independent journalist Jose Luis Tan Estrada on Facebook.
Rodríguez Rodríguez highlighted that her area had been without electricity since 3:00 p.m. the previous day, a dire situation for her family, which includes a young child and another with Down syndrome. "My special needs child had a crisis because of the darkness. We can't even charge our lamps in time. I'll do anything for my children," she declared.
She criticized the lack of concern and response from government employees, pointing out that while she was waiting for assistance, the officials were "having lunch with electricity," unlike her household where food spoils due to the lack of refrigeration. "I arrived 45 minutes ago. And what are they doing? Eating. Of course, eating with power. What do they care about the people?" she expressed with frustration.
The mother demanded the release of an official schedule for power cuts, allowing citizens to plan their daily activities without being at the mercy of unexpected outages, which have stretched for over 10 hours in many areas across the country. "What they're doing is counter-revolutionary. They're killing us slowly. Enough is enough!" Yosleydis criticized.
Standing by her name and face, she made it clear she is not hiding and is ready to confront the authorities to defend her children. The protest quickly garnered support on social media, with Cubans both inside and outside the country sharing the video under the hashtag #NoLaDejemosSola. This is not the first demonstration by Cuban mothers; many have stood their ground on numerous occasions but have been silenced and threatened by the regime without receiving any answers to their demands.
Understanding the Impact of Cuban Power Outages
What triggered Yosleydis Rodríguez Rodríguez’s protest?
The protest was triggered by continuous power outages and government neglect, which left her neighborhood without electricity, affecting her family, including a child with special needs.
How have power outages affected Cuban communities?
Power outages in Cuba have led to food spoilage, disrupted daily activities, and have been particularly challenging for families with vulnerable members, such as children with special needs.
What demands did the protesting mother make?
Yosleydis Rodríguez Rodríguez demanded an official schedule for power cuts to help citizens manage their daily lives amid the frequent outages.