On Saturday, a large group of residents gathered outside the provincial government headquarters in Cienfuegos, demanding explanations for the prolonged electricity shortages and the resulting food spoilage, which they claim have become unbearable.
Among the crowd were mothers with young children. The protesters insisted on meeting the highest-ranking official or the provincial government president, as captured in a video shared on Facebook by opposition figure Raúl González.
"We need to speak with the top government official or the provincial president immediately. We are here protesting because this is an outright abuse," declared one of the participants right at the entrance of the government building.
The activist who recorded and shared the footage on social media highlighted a stark contradiction perceived by the demonstrators: while officials attribute the power outages to a lack of fuel for power plants, government vehicles were conspicuously parked outside the government building.
"Look at how many government vehicles are parked here, fully fueled, while they claim there's no fuel for the power plants," one protester criticized.
The demonstrators painted a grim picture of their living conditions. "We're facing nights without electricity, without food, without electricity, without medicine," one stated, while another pointed out that leaders "reside in protected areas" with assured electricity supply.
Police were summoned to the scene, and several individuals were instructed to disperse.
The activist recording the event recounted how officers sought him out for filming, noting that he had been removed from the premises on previous occasions.
"I've demanded answers four times, and four times I've been politically targeted," he stated.
"We are exhausted from the relentless oppression imposed on the people," one demonstrator summarized in front of the Cienfuegos government building, capturing the frustration of those who took to the streets that day.
The protest comes amid the most severe energy crisis Cuba has faced in 2026. In August, the electricity generation deficit exceeded 2,400 MW, with blackouts in some places lasting over twenty hours daily.
Cienfuegos experienced outages ranging from 11 to 16 hours daily, and during the mid-August Popular Festivals, some areas reported blackouts exceeding 24 hours.
Public discontent is widespread. The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts (OCC) reported 1,415 protests, complaints, and critical expressions in July, a 13.84% increase over the 1,220 recorded in June and a 40.33% rise compared to the 845 in July 2025.
Among these, 72 were in-person protests, with 64 occurring in Havana and 8 in other provinces.
Understanding the Crisis in Cienfuegos
What triggered the protests in Cienfuegos?
The protests were triggered by prolonged power outages and food shortages, which residents claim have become intolerable.
What contradiction did the protesters point out?
Protesters pointed out that while officials claim fuel shortages for power plants, government vehicles were seen parked with fuel outside the government building.
How severe is the current energy crisis in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing its worst energy crisis of 2026, with electricity deficits reaching over 2,400 MW, causing blackouts lasting more than twenty hours daily in some areas.