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In a dramatic turn of events, demonstrators stormed a Communist Party office in Morón, Cuba, during the night, causing chaos as they looted and attempted to set the building ablaze. Video footage acquired by Fox News Digital captured the chaotic scene, complete with what appeared to be gunfire and a person lying on the ground outside the headquarters.
Cuban state media swiftly countered claims of violence, stating that no individuals had been injured by police firearms, while confirming that five people had been taken into custody following the incident.
The video reveals a significant crowd assembled outside the party building, with flames visible in the street and protestors hurling fiery objects at the structure. The atmosphere was charged with chants of “Libertad, libertad!” translating to “Freedom, freedom!” in Spanish, just moments before the sound of gunshots echoed through the scene.
Amid ongoing protests fueled by persistent power outages across the island, the footage shows protestors advancing on the party headquarters, brandishing flaming items as they attempted to ignite the building. This visual evidence highlights the intensity of the unrest gripping parts of Cuba.
Protesters carrying flaming objects approach a Communist Party headquarters in Morón, Cuba, during overnight unrest. Video obtained by Fox News Digital shows demonstrators attempting to set fire to the building amid protests linked to widespread blackouts. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
A young man appears to collapse as others nearby scream in Spanish: “They shot him! They’re shooting! They said they wouldn’t shoot, but they shot him.”
The video then shows people carrying the injured man away from the scene.
In another video obtained by Fox News Digital, large crowds can be seen marching through Morón’s unlit streets before unrest spread to the Communist Party headquarters.
Morón is located on Cuba’s northern coast about 250 miles east of the capital Havana near the tourist resort of Cayo Coco.
“The image circulating shows the scene of the protest, but it’s important for the public to know the truth: no one was injured by gunfire,” state media outlet Vanguardia de Cuba said on X.
“Media manipulation seeks to sow fear and confusion among our people. Let’s not fall for provocations,” it added.
Protesters gather outside a Communist Party headquarters in Morón, Cuba, as a fire burns in the street during overnight unrest. Video obtained by Fox News Digital appeared to show demonstrators attempting to set fire to the building amid protests linked to widespread blackouts. (Reuters)
State media said police had detained five people and that a “drunken” participant fell and was being treated for injuries in hospital.
Over the past week, several small groups of residents across Havana have banged pots in protest against extended blackouts.
Cuba has faced rolling blackouts, food shortages and renewed protests tied to the island’s worsening energy and economic crisis.
A recent nationwide blackout was triggered by a failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the island’s largest power station, cutting electricity across much of the country, according to Reuters.
The crisis has been compounded by fuel shortages after the Trump administration moved to curtail oil shipments to the island, particularly from Venezuela — one of Cuba’s main suppliers.
Cuban officials say U.S. sanctions have worsened the country’s economic difficulties, while repeated power plant failures and an aging electrical grid have left millions facing prolonged blackouts that have fueled growing public frustration and protests.
A Cuban woman wearing a T-shirt with the United States flag sells coconut cookies, Saturday, on a Havana street. (Yamil Lage / AFP via Getty Images)
“What initially began peacefully, and after an exchange with local authorities, turned into acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Party Committee,” the state-run Invasor newspaper reported, according to Reuters.
“A smaller group of people stoned the entrance of the building and started a fire in the street with furniture from the reception area,” it added.
Vandals also targeted several other state-run establishments in the area, including a pharmacy and a government market, the report said.
On Friday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said that he was holding talks with the U.S. government, marking the first time the Caribbean country has confirmed widespread speculation about discussions with the Trump administration.
Díaz-Canel said that no petroleum shipments have arrived in Cuba in the past three months and blamed a U.S. energy blockade for that. He said that the island is running on a mixture of natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants.