Residents of Zone 12 in Alamar, located in the Habana del Este municipality, took to the streets on Thursday night to protest during a power outage. The demonstration concluded with a heavy police presence and at least one arrest, as reported in videos shared on Facebook by activist Irma Lidia Broek.
Broek is well-known for exposing state abuses in Cuba through social media. Her videos captured the tense atmosphere on the street, showing police vehicles, groups of people, and at least one individual being taken into custody and removed from the scene.
In one of Broek's shared videos, a government official can be heard attempting to pacify the demonstrators.
Broek accompanied her videos with the text “DOWN WITH THE DICTATORSHIP” and hashtags like #LibertyForCuba and #Cuba, slogans that echo the growing frustration in the neighborhood.
This Thursday's protest is part of a wave of demonstrations that have shaken Havana and other provinces from May 13 to 21. These protests were triggered by power outages lasting up to 20-22 hours daily in several circuits of the capital, a figure acknowledged by Cuba's own Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy.
On May 13, the Cuban electrical system recorded a record deficit of 2,153 MW, and three days later, the maximum impact reached 2,041 MW, simultaneously leaving 51% of the country without electricity.
The protests spread to at least 12 Havana municipalities, including Marianao, Playa, Luyanó, Santos Suárez, Guanabacoa, and Regla, as well as Santiago de Cuba and other provinces. Analysts describe this as the largest wave of protests since the July 11th demonstrations in 2021.
Alamar is no stranger to such upheavals. Back in March 2026, the neighborhood witnessed pot-banging protests on the 15th, 20th, and 23rd of the month, consistently accompanied by police presence and internet cuts to curb the spread of images.
The repressive pattern has been consistent in each protest episode: police deployment, arbitrary detentions, and blocking of mobile data signals. Human rights organizations documented at least 14 arrests in Havana linked to demonstrations between March and May 2026, while ICLEP recorded 179 violations against freedom of expression and the press in Cuba during just April of this year.
On May 15, the U.S. Embassy in Havana issued a security alert due to electrical instability and protests, warning its citizens about the risks of traveling through protest-prone areas.
While the regime dispatches police to "maintain order" on the streets, the Cuban populace continues to take to the streets with a slogan that encapsulates the crisis: "Power and food."
Understanding the Alamar Protests
What triggered the recent protests in Alamar?
The protests in Alamar were triggered by prolonged power outages lasting up to 22 hours daily, which led to widespread frustration and demonstrations in the neighborhood.
How did the Cuban government respond to these protests?
The government's response involved deploying a heavy police presence, making arbitrary arrests, and blocking mobile data signals to prevent the spread of protest footage.
What historical context is there for protests in Alamar?
Alamar has a history of protests, including pot-banging demonstrations in March 2026, which were also met with police presence and internet restrictions.