Protesters in Cuba stormed the Communist Party headquarters

Anti-government unrest broke out in northern Cuba when a group of protesters attacked the local Communist Party office in the city of Morón. The protests began as a peaceful gathering against power outages and food shortages, but escalated into violence overnight. According to the state-run daily Invasor, participants threw stones at the building’s windows and set fires in the street.

Videos have appeared on social media showing the fire and chanting of “freedom.” However, Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the footage.

The protests come amid a worsening energy crisis on the island. The country is plagued by frequent power outages caused by fuel shortages and problems with the energy infrastructure.

According to the Cuban government, the situation is also exacerbated by U.S. policy toward Havana, including restrictions on oil supplies. Protests are relatively rare in Cuba, especially those that escalate into violence

(Reuters, MJA)