A young Cuban woman from Holguín unexpectedly stole the spotlight at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games this Saturday by displaying a protest sign during the opening ceremony at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Katherin, who is known as "Aprendedora" on social media, shared a photo on Instagram showing her standing among the crowd, holding a cardboard sign with both hands. The sign read: "PONME LA CORRIENTE PING***", with the last word prominently in red, and "Cuba Libre" in the top right corner. Her post was captioned: "Supporting Cuba at the Central American Games."
The image quickly garnered over 7,300 likes and 154 comments, resonating with Cubans both on the island and abroad who recognized the sign as a bold statement against the ongoing crisis suffocating the country.
The message directly addresses the severe power crisis plaguing Cuba in 2026. The National Electricity System collapsed for the fourth time this year on July 10, with a generation shortfall reaching 2,174 MW on May 14, leaving nearly 70% of the island without power simultaneously. In Matanzas, some areas endured up to 87 consecutive hours without electricity; in Havana, residents faced an average of 15 hours of outages daily.
A Journey Marked by Challenges
Katherin migrated from Holguín to the Dominican Republic in 2026 after several unsuccessful attempts. She has been in Santo Domingo for roughly 121 days, chronicling her migration journey on her YouTube channel. Her video "This Was My Last Attempt to Leave Cuba" has surpassed 1.1 million views, revealing the cost of her emigration—selling all her possessions for less than $500—and the global limitations of the Cuban passport.
In a video posted on July 12, Katherin expressed the emotional toll of following Cuban news from abroad: "It's very painful to see your country doing this. A circus. A circus. Meanwhile, my family has been without electricity for two days, and there are people who don't even have food."
Protest Amidst Sporting Ambitions
Her protest takes place during an event the Cuban regime uses as a sports showcase. Cuba has registered 504 athletes for Santo Domingo 2026, its largest delegation in recent years, aiming to finish among the top three in the medal tally with at least 67 golds.
However, the Games began under the cloud of defections. On July 24, field hockey goalkeeper Moisés David Torres Puig became the first Cuban athlete to defect during these Games. Weeks earlier, nine out of 12 members of the canoeing team deserted in Montreal between July 15 and 18.
Katherin's act of defiance links her personal exile experience to a collective outcry over a crisis that, as she noted in March, has emptied millions of Cuban homes: "Since 1959, more than 2 million Cubans have emigrated. In Cuba, there's hardly any family without an empty chair today, and that's unforgivable."
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis and Migration Challenge
What caused the power crisis in Cuba?
Cuba's power crisis in 2026 is due to repeated collapses of the National Electricity System, with significant generation shortfalls leading to prolonged outages affecting nearly 70% of the island.
Why did Katherin protest at the Central American Games?
Katherin protested to highlight the ongoing hardships in Cuba, particularly the severe electricity shortages, and to draw attention to the broader crisis affecting Cuban society.
How has the migration crisis impacted Cuban families?
The migration crisis has led to over 2 million Cubans leaving the country since 1959, resulting in many families having members living abroad, often described as having an "empty chair" at home.