At least six inmates died following a repressive response by Cuban regime forces to a riot at Canaleta prison in Ciego de Ávila on Thursday morning, February 20, 2026, according to Diario de Cuba citing relatives of inmates and Prisoners Defenders NGO. The clash began after a young inmate allegedly died from beatings by guards over food shortages. Testimonies gathered by Diario de Cuba from people with relatives inside the prison, along with an audio from Prisoners Defenders, reported the deaths occurred after anti-riot forces intervened in the early hours. A former political prisoner stated that relatives witnessed multiple coffins leaving the facility and ambulances transferring wounded inmates to hospitals in Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey between 12:16 PM and 3:16 PM UTC on February 20. In a separate development during the same three-hour window, Ernesto Soberón told EFE agency that the Cuban government has plans and resources to face a potential U.S. 'total blockade,' including a 'zero option' without external supplies, while acknowledging sanctions exacerbate fuel shortages and economic paralysis. The prison riot reports surfaced amid ongoing national energy shortages fueling unrest, as noted in prior accounts of fires in Havana's Santa Fe area earlier on February 20 protesting blackouts.
