Cuba: Islandwide Blackout Caused by Hurricane Ian Sparks Protests in Havana; Government Also Accused of Cutting off Internet
While some areas in Cuba have their power back on, much of the country still suffers from blackouts in the wake of Hurricane Ian that led to small protests, particularly in the capital of Havana.
According to the Associated Press, around 400 people gathered in at least two spots in the Cero neighborhood on Thursday. They had been banging pots and pans while demanding electricity to return, shouting, "We want light, we want light."
These are the first blackout-related protests on the island since Hurricane Ian made landfall last Tuesday, which devastated Cuba's signature tobacco crops and damaged homes.
This was also the first time Cuba had experienced an island-wide blackout in its history. The protesters were not only demanding to get their power back on but also made their "heightened concerns over ongoing food, fuel and medicine shortages" known.
The government has still not made it clear how many of its citizens still do not have any power as of early Friday. However, electrical authorities reported that only around 10% of Havana's 2 million people had power on Thursday.
Experts then highlighted that Cuba's power grid is vulnerable and warned that it would require time and resources to fix.
Cuba Government Might Have Cut Off Internet to Halt Spread of Information
Internet service was interrupted on Thursday but returned by Friday in a few areas, and then it went out again later in the day. Watchdog groups like London-based Netblocks had stated that the blackout in internet service on Thursday and Friday appeared different from an internet outage when Ian hit.
The group's leader said: "The timings provide another indicator that the shutdowns are a measure to suppress coverage of the protests."
Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik Inc., a network intelligence company, confirmed that Cuba experienced a "total internet blackout" that raises several concerns about whether the Cuban government was trying to suppress information by cutting off the internet.
Cuba Requests U.S. For Aid After Hurricane Ian
As the United States government is dealing with Hurricane Ian, the first country that the hurricane devastated is now asking for help. In a rare request to Washington, the Cuban government requested emergency assistance from the administration of President Joe Biden, according to Reuters.
The Biden administration has now assessed that hospitals, water pumping facilities, sanitation, and other critical infrastructure will be the top priorities if Washington sends aid. However, the State Department has not responded yet to the request, nor did Cuba's embassy in Washington.
The Biden administration has vowed to re-engage with Cuba after decades of tensions. The Cuban government's recent crackdowns on protests have led Washington to impose new sanctions against their Caribbean neighbor.
According to BBC, Ian hit Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane before it headed north to Florida, where it gained strength as a Category 4.
READ MORE: Hurricane Fiona Update: Joe Biden Promises 100% Help for Puerto Rico After Major Disaster
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
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WATCH: Destruction In Cuba From Hurricane Ian Leaves Floridians Apprehensive About Coming Days - MSNBC