In the heart of Havana's Vedado district, a resident near the iconic Focsa building shared a grievance on the Facebook group "Unión Eléctrica en Cuba." While his neighborhood endured just four hours of electricity on Sunday, the entire area surrounding the Cuba Pavilion—host of the International Cubadisco Fair 2026—remained brightly lit.
The individual, known as Guglielmo Tell, included a stark nighttime photo of the city, highlighting a vivid contrast: one area basked in light while others lay shrouded in darkness.
"The situation at La Piragua never ends, and now we face the Cubadisco fair at the Cuba Pavilion depriving us of electricity. Today, on Sunday, we barely had four hours of light in Focsa and its vicinity," he lamented.
According to his account, the well-illuminated area stretched seamlessly from the Pavilion to the Avenida del Puerto, with "just a small dark patch near the (Ameijeiras) hospital."
Chaotic Celebrations Amidst Darkness
Tell further described that the popular site known as La Piragua, situated on the Malecón, hosted a celebration lasting until 2 a.m., after which groups roamed the neighborhood, leading to bottle-throwing brawls in front of the Capri hotel.
"Is there any greater outrage than exploiting the country's situation as an excuse for such corruption? Denying people electricity for entire days to power chaos, and even a two-hour concert?" he questioned indignantly.
Unequal Electricity Distribution Sparks Outrage
The complainant was even more pointed in criticizing those benefiting from this uneven power distribution: "Do we have to remain confined in our homes so a handful of oligarchs can indulge themselves? Even at the risk of causing chaos with complete impunity?"
This incident arises during the worst phase of Cuba's electrical crisis this year. On May 19, the Unión Eléctrica reported a capacity of merely 1,150 MW against a demand of 2,700 MW, resulting in 1,550 MW of outages since dawn.
The pattern of selective blackouts has continually provoked public anger. On May 8, the phrase "In the UNE chief's block there's power" circulated, revealing preferential treatment for officials.
A photo of a darkened Havana shared on social media showed that "only government buildings and luxury hotels have light."
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz recently ordered a review of the blackout rotation to ensure a more equitable distribution. However, the public's response was encapsulated in another viral phrase: "They don't respect Marrero."
In April 2026, the Cuban Observatory of Conflicts documented 1,133 protests, 153 of which were related to public services, particularly electricity outages and water shortages, underscoring the extent to which the energy crisis has exhausted the population's patience.
Questions About Cuba's Energy Crisis and Social Impact
What is causing the electricity shortages in Cuba?
The shortages are primarily due to a lack of capacity in the electrical grid, with demand surpassing supply and resulting in widespread outages.
How has the public reacted to the selective power outages?
There has been significant public outrage and protests, as people perceive an unfair distribution of electricity, favoring government and luxury locations.
What measures are being proposed to address the crisis?
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has called for a review of the blackout rotation to distribute the outages more evenly across different areas.