Footage shared on social media captures a nighttime protest in "El Hueco," a neighborhood situated at the border of La Lisa and Marianao municipalities in Havana, following an exhausting 36-hour power outage.
The video, recorded this week, depicts a fire blazing on the street with silhouettes of people in the background, while a woman shouts out in frustration and exhaustion against the regime.
"We are tired of so much hunger, misery, and darkness. We've been without electricity for 36 hours. How much longer, how much longer?" exclaims the woman filming the scene.
The protester also highlights the dire situation of mothers and children going without food and water, demanding the government's departure: "They need to leave! We want them gone, so we can live our lives in peace."
One of the most striking accusations in the video targets the state-owned electric company, accusing it of lying about the outage duration.
"The electric company is the first to say it's only been two hours, but we've been without power for 36 hours. Enough is enough, it's a huge disrespect," the woman asserts.
Unrest Spreads Across Cuba's Provinces
The protest in El Hueco is not an isolated incident. Numerous neighborhoods in Santiago de Cuba experienced massive pot-banging protests the same night, resulting in militarized streets. Protests also erupted in Buena Vista and other Havana neighborhoods.
The root causes of these demonstrations lie in the country's structural energy issues. On June 15, the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant went offline due to a boiler leak, marking its 15th breakdown this year. This incident increased the projected impact on the nighttime peak to 2,085 MW, against an availability of only 995 MW, with a national demand of 3,100 MW.
Ongoing Struggles with Power Outages
In Santiago de Cuba, the electric company reorganized outages into nine blocks, leaving each area with merely one or two hours of electricity per day. Meanwhile, Havana experienced blackouts ranging from 12 to 22 hours daily.
La Lisa and Marianao have a history of protests against blackouts. On June 5, Marianao residents staged pot-banging protests demanding "water and power," and in March 2026, during a collapse that left 68% of the island without electricity, both municipalities had already taken to the streets.
The June protests coincide with the Extraordinary Plenary Session of the Communist Party's Central Committee, held on Wednesday, where the regime discussed over 20 economic reforms while the population demonstrated across various provinces.
"It's been 36 hours without light. This is an injustice!" reiterated the woman from El Hueco. She concluded her video with a question that echoes the exhaustion of thousands of Cubans: "How long will this continue?"
Understanding Cuba’s Energy Crisis
What triggered the protests in Havana?
The protests in Havana were triggered by a 36-hour power outage in the "El Hueco" neighborhood, sparking frustration and desperation among residents.
How is the Cuban government addressing the energy issues?
The Cuban government has been holding discussions on economic reforms; however, the persistent energy crisis suggests that structural issues remain unresolved.
Why are power outages so common in Cuba?
Power outages in Cuba are often due to structural problems within the energy sector, such as outdated infrastructure and frequent breakdowns of power plants like the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant.