Residents of Block 1 in Nuevo Vedado took to the streets in protest on Wednesday after enduring an unbroken 24-hour power outage. This demonstration was captured on video by Facebook user Alicia García.
The protest occurred during daylight hours, mirroring a simultaneous pot-banging rally in San Miguel del Padrón, where locals gathered in front of the municipal government office demanding "Electricity and food!"
Typically, nighttime protests have been common during the wave of demonstrations sweeping across Havana, as darkness provides anonymity and decreases the chances of retaliation.
The fact that two separate protests erupted in broad daylight in different municipalities signifies a level of desperation that no longer waits for the cover of night to manifest.
According to the title of García's video—"Block 1 of Nuevo Vedado after 24 hours of blackout. Electricity was restored 10 minutes after starting the video"—the neighborhood's pressure had a swift impact: power was restored just ten minutes after the recording began.
Background of Protests
Nuevo Vedado, situated in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality, just a few blocks from the Palace of the Revolution and the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee, has a recent history of protests. There were pot-banging demonstrations on March 13, 14, and 15, another in front of the Central Committee on March 22, and a massive rally on April 17 during a total blackout with a projected deficit of 1,842 MW.
The two daytime demonstrations on Wednesday add to a series of actions recorded in the past 48 hours: a nighttime pot-banging in Reparto Bahía with chants of "Down with the dictatorship!" on Tuesday night, pot-banging with bonfires in Marianao in the early hours of Wednesday, a blockade on Calzada de Concha in Luyanó on Monday, and graffiti with "Homeland and Life" against Díaz-Canel on electrical infrastructure in Arroyo Naranjo.
Energy Crisis and Government Response
The energy situation is dire: the Electric Union projected a nighttime peak deficit of 2,020 MW for Wednesday, with availability of just 1,230 MW against a demand of 3,250 MW.
On Tuesday, the maximum real impact reached 2,113 MW at 8:40 PM, the highest figure of the year.
On the same Wednesday, Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted on Facebook that "the situation of the National Electric System is particularly tense in recent days," acknowledging that in April only one fuel ship of the minimum eight required per month arrived.
Cuba has been without Venezuelan crude since November 2025, without Russian oil since late April 2026, and Mexico suspended its shipments in January 2026.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,133 protests in April 2026, a 29.5% increase from April 2025, and the regime has responded with militarization and at least 14 arrests in Havana since March 6 linked to the pot-banging protests.
Witnesses quoted by independent media report that "desperation grows every day as living conditions continue to deteriorate amid constant blackouts and a deep economic crisis."
Key Questions About the Energy Crisis in Cuba
What triggered the recent protests in Nuevo Vedado?
The protests were sparked by a continuous 24-hour power outage experienced by the residents of Block 1 in Nuevo Vedado.
How did the government respond to the protests?
The Cuban government has responded with militarization and at least 14 arrests in Havana since March 6 related to the pot-banging protests.
What is the current status of Cuba's energy supply?
Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis with a projected nighttime power deficit of 2,020 MW, and the arrival of only one fuel ship out of the eight required monthly in April.