MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Protest in Morón turns into attack on Communist Party office amid Cuba blackouts

Videos and witness accounts from the night also included sounds resembling gunfire and reports of possible injuries during the later security operation

A protest over blackouts and shortages in the Cuban city of Morón turned into a partial attack on the local Communist Party headquarters early on Saturday, in one of the most unusual recent expressions of public unrest on the island. Authorities reported at least five arrests and said an investigation had been opened into the incident.

According to converging reports, the demonstration began peacefully on Friday night, with residents demanding electricity and food, and later escalated when a group threw stones at the building, dragged furniture into the street and set part of the reception area on fire. Videos circulated on social media showed flames outside the premises and damage to a nearby drugstore and another state-run shop.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded hours later in a public message acknowledging the public anger caused by the “prolonged blackouts” and calling complaints “legitimate” as long as they are expressed peacefully. At the same time, he warned that there would be “no impunity for vandalism and violence.”

| URGENTE: Manifestantes en Cuba prenden fuego a la sede del Partido Comunista en Morón. pic.twitter.com/Hv25wpniPn

— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) March 14, 2026

The protest took place amid a worsening energy crisis. Cuba’s government said this week that no oil shipments had reached the country in the past three months and blamed that on a U.S. “energy blockade.” Authorities also said fuel shortages had forced thermoelectric plants offline and deepened electricity cuts across the island.

Videos and witness accounts from the night also included sounds resembling gunfire and reports of possible injuries during the later security operation, although authorities did not publicly confirm that point. Official and agency reporting said special Interior Ministry units were deployed after the gathering ceased to be peaceful.

While Cuba has seen sporadic protests over blackouts in recent days, violent unrest remains rare. The Morón episode adds to a run of pot-banging demonstrations and public complaints over shortages of electricity, fuel, medicines and food, as the government faces mounting social pressure amid deep economic strain.