The National Electroenergetic System (SEN) of Cuba experienced yet another complete blackout at 11:05 a.m. on Tuesday, marking the fifth total outage of 2026. Officially confirmed by the Electric Union, this incident is the third in just over a week and the tenth in the past two years.
The rapid succession of these power failures is unparalleled in the island's electrical history.
The Escalation of Blackouts
The fourth nationwide blackout of this year took place on Friday, July 10, at 4:30 p.m., triggered by a failure in the 220 kV transmission line connecting Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus. Just days earlier, on July 6, the SEN had already experienced its third collapse of the year, with the Electric Union unable to pinpoint an immediate technical cause.
Government's Evasive Stance
The regime's response has been politically evasive. On July 10, Díaz-Canel suggested "better organization of blackouts" without offering any measures to increase power generation. The following day, he attributed the crisis to the so-called "genocidal oil blockade" by the United States, ignoring the root causes like outdated infrastructure and decades of underinvestment.
Public Reaction and Social Media Outcry
The Cuban populace has responded with a blend of dark humor and despair. Social media is rife with comments that capture the collective exhaustion: "It was once a year, then every hurricane, then twice a year... now it's weekly," one user lamented. Another quipped that the system should be renamed from SEN to SIN. A third summed up the general sentiment: "This is a meme now; we're a circus. And the best part, no admission fee."
Protests and Unrest
Dissatisfaction has surged beyond the digital realm. According to the Cuban Conflict Observatory, there were 107 street protests in June 2026—a record high and nearly double the previous peak. In July, banging pots and pans have resonated through neighborhoods in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, met with police operations and militarization.
Understanding Cuba's Persistent Power Outages
What caused the most recent blackout in Cuba?
The latest blackout was caused by a failure in the 220 kV transmission line between Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus.
How has the Cuban government responded to the electrical crisis?
The government has been politically evasive, with Díaz-Canel suggesting better organization of blackouts without proposing solutions to boost power generation.
How are Cubans reacting to the ongoing power outages?
Cubans are reacting with a mix of dark humor and frustration, expressing their discontent through social media and street protests.