Residents of Vedado, a neighborhood in Havana, took part in a daytime pot-and-pan protest this Sunday. The event was captured on video by activist Salomé García Bacallao, who shared the footage on her Facebook page with the caption: "July 12. The pots and pans continue to ring out in Vedado."
The use of the word "continue" in García Bacallao's post indicates that these demonstrations weren't a one-time occurrence on Sunday. The protests began the previous night and carried into the daylight hours, making Vedado a central point of a larger wave of unrest that swept through various neighborhoods in the capital city.
Journalist and activist Magdiel Jorge Castro further disseminated the video on the social media platform X, describing the situation as a "daytime pot-and-pan protest in Vedado, Havana... following another night of demonstrations in the capital." He added, "The events of July 11 ignited a spark, and something has changed forever in Cuba."
Unrest Follows Significant Anniversary
This Sunday's protests occurred just one day after the fifth anniversary of July 11, 2021, marking the largest public demonstration in Cuba since 1959.
Already on Saturday, pot-and-pan protests had been recorded in Old Havana, prompting the regime to deploy police and paramilitary forces at the Communist Party's municipal headquarters. A significant protest also occurred in the Nalón neighborhood of Guanabacoa after residents endured more than 33 consecutive hours without power.
Vedado: A Longstanding Protest Venue
Vedado is no stranger to these types of demonstrations. Throughout 2026, numerous pot-and-pan protests have been documented in this area on various dates, including March 13 and 23, April 17, June 3 and 19, and July 2.
This surge in protests is occurring amid a severe crisis. In June 2026 alone, there were 107 protests across the nation, nearly doubling the previous record, with 82 of them centered in Havana.
Power outages have lasted up to 72 consecutive hours in some regions, the informal dollar exchange rate has soared to 670 pesos, and the Gross Domestic Product has shrunk between 6.5% and 15%.
Government Crackdown on Dissent
As residents banged their pots and pans, Berta Soler and the Damas de Blanco reported that State Security agents surrounded their homes to prevent any commemoration of the July 11 anniversary.
Five years after those historic protests, 338 participants remain imprisoned, excluded from the April 2026 pardon, in a country that currently records between 1,260 and 1,306 political prisoners, the highest number ever documented.
In the same context, Amnesty International has labeled the situation of artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara as a forced disappearance. He was removed from Guanajay prison by State Security on July 7 without notifying his family, despite his sentence ending on July 9.
The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances has initiated an urgent action and set a deadline of July 25 for the regime to disclose his whereabouts.
Key Questions About the Vedado Protests
What sparked the recent protests in Vedado?
The protests were part of a larger wave of unrest following the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, demonstrations, the largest since 1959. They were fueled by ongoing power outages and economic hardships.
How has the Cuban government responded to the protests?
The Cuban government has responded by deploying police and paramilitary forces to suppress the demonstrations, and State Security agents have surrounded the homes of known activists to prevent further dissent.
What is the significance of the July 11 anniversary in Cuba?
The July 11 anniversary marks the largest public protest against the Cuban government since 1959, symbolizing a significant moment in the country's fight for change.