Cubans protested, banged pots and posted complaints 542 times in October 2026, and the loudest grievance was fear of crime, not only the dark nights. The Cuban Conflict Observatory (OCC), a monitoring project run with the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, a rights group, published the count in early November.
For US readers, the numbers show how much pressure is building on an island 90 miles from Florida, where blackouts, shortages and rising crime push families to leave. Our guide to who holds real power in Cuba explains who must answer these complaints.
What the Count Shows
The OCC logged 542 protests, complaints and critical statements in its detailed October register. That is 18.25% fewer than the 663 events in September.
The group warns that the drop does not mean life improved. Its older, long-running method, which uses a different set of events, found 1,143 incidents in October against 1,147 in September, so the two methods should not be added together.
Violence and insecurity came first with 119 events, about 22% of the register. Public services, meaning power, water and rubbish collection, came second with 104.
Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, where the Interior Ministry, which runs the police, has its headquarters. File photo. Photo: Germanramos2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsWhy Cubans Are Angry
Power cuts keep switching off the water pumps. The OCC says about 2.5 million Cubans faced water interruptions, and that the authorities themselves blamed power failures for 88% of them.
Food and inflation complaints rose to 63 events, seven more than in September. In the informal market the US dollar traded above 800 Cuban pesos in late October, so one peso buys about US$0.0012.
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Where Protest and Crime Hit
Matanzas province recorded 30 insecurity events and Havana 22. Insecurity led the register for a third month in a row.
The OCC counted 88 acts it calls challenges to the police state, including 24 street protests. It also counted 85 repressive acts by the authorities.
What It Means for You
If you plan to travel to Cuba, expect long outages, water shortages and limited fuel, and check your government’s travel advice before you book. Visitors from the United States should also review the rules of the US Treasury on travel and spending on the island.
For readers who follow US policy, the report adds to evidence of hardship that feeds the debate on sanctions and migration. It does not show that the government is close to falling, because the count shows only 24 street protests.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket prices the chance that Miguel Díaz-Canel is out as Cuba’s leader by 31 December 2026 at 3.4%, with about US$2.3 million traded across all dates of that market (5 November, 2:41 p.m. ET). A separate Polymarket market on US military action against Cuba by 31 December stands at 6.5%, with about US$7.7 million traded across all dates.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
The OCC’s register is a count of documented events, not a survey of all Cubans, so it cannot say how many people took part in each protest. It also cannot show how many complaints went unreported.
It is unclear whether the lower October count reflects fewer protests or fewer people willing to speak up under pressure. The OCC itself says the drop is not proof of better living conditions.
More: Cuba news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Cuban Conflict Observatory?
It is a monitoring project linked to the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba that counts protests, complaints and repression each month. Its detailed October register lists 542 events.
Did Protests in Cuba Rise or Fall in October 2026?
The detailed count fell 18.25% from September, from 663 to 542 events. The OCC’s older method showed almost no change, at 1,143 against 1,147.
What Is Driving the Complaints in Cuba?
Crime topped the list with 119 events, followed by power and water failures with 104. Food and inflation complaints rose to 63 events.
Does This Change Travel Plans to Cuba?
The report does not change any travel rule. Visitors should still expect outages and water shortages and should check official travel advice before booking.
Sources: Cuban Conflict Observatory (OCC), monthly report for October 2026, with the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (early November 2026); Polymarket market data, 5 November 2026 (Díaz-Canel out as leader of Cuba; US military action against Cuba).