July 08, 2005
But at least they have new rice cookers!
All they need now is some power:
SANTA CLARA, Cuba - July 6 (María Elena Alpízar Ariosa, Grupo Decoro/Niurvys Díaz Remond/Félix Reyes Gutiérrez, Cubanacán Press / www.cubanet.org) - Power blackouts in several municipalities in central Cuba have touched off protests by residents.Several people were injured in Placetas on Sunday night when customers of the "Centro Cuba" cabaret protested the loss of light. The customers, mainly youths, poured into the street, shouting anti-government remarks and hurling bottles and rocks through storefront plate-glass windows.
At the same time, others took advantage of the protests to throw fliers with anti-Castro slogans in an area near the National Revolutionary Police headquarters.
Before dawn on Saturday, protesters went to the facilities of the Provincial Electric Company of Villa Clara in Santa Clara to complain about power blackouts. About 30 persons, including women and children, shouted demands for an explanation for the shortages of electrical power.
One protester named Tina told a policeman trying to calm down the protesters, "Many of us are workers who have to get up at 6 o'clock and the person in charge of the office has given us no explanation."
A truck belonging to the Electric Company of the municipality of Ranchuelo was stoned on Friday by residents protesting power outages. A headlight was broken and the truck's body dented.
Plus, a good use has been found for empty bottles:
CIENFUEGOS, Cuba - July 7 (Alejandro Tur Valladares, Cubanacán Press / www.cubanet.org) - Empty bottles were hurled against a government transportation building during a recent blackout.Jorge Félix Ricabal, who lives in the area, said at 9:30 p.m. on June 25 he could hear bottles breaking against the building. Another neighbor, who declined to be identified, said more bottles were thrown half an hour later, prompting the appearance of a police officer.
Although the power outage was scheduled to last until midnight, the lights went back on at 10 p.m.
There have been protests in various places in Cuba because of a series of power blackouts.
Posted by Val Prieto at July 8, 2005 06:31 AM
Comments
¡Abajo fidel! A la protesta!
Posted by: George L. Moneo at July 8, 2005 08:25 AM
TV Marti's C-130 flights, hopefully overcoming the jamming signals, if I'm not mistaken flies on Saturday evenings from 6-10pm. Wanna bet when the power outages are most frequent?
Posted by: j.scott barnard at July 8, 2005 10:17 AM
Recently in Matanza they were housing a large amount of rice cookers slated for distribution,but somehow they ALL disappeared,to exactly how many were stolen,nobody knows other then when they had dropped them off they were shipped in huge trucks,the indiviual who lives across the storage facility they were being housed at gave a guestimate of atleast 5000 or so.
Someone is profiting nicely in the black market!
Posted by: YUCA at July 8, 2005 02:15 PM
Lights were on just a little while ago as I got an email from a friend in Santa Clara updating me about Dennis,but it does appear the lights are out for a long time coming,right now.
Posted by: YUCA at July 8, 2005 07:11 PM