Cuban Government Uses Force to Quell Fontanar Protest Amid Blackout Crisis

Cuban government agents forcefully suppressed a protest in Fontanar, a neighborhood in the Boyeros district of Havana, on Friday night. Residents took to the streets to voice their frustration over the ongoing power outages plaguing the area. The events were reported by journalist José Raúl Gallego, who shared live videos of the incident.

The demonstration began around 9:30 p.m. on Boyeros Avenue, where the entrance to Fontanar is located. Gallego documented the unfolding protest with the comment, "Happening now. Protest on Boyeros Avenue at the entrance of Fontanar. Havana."

Protesters obstructed the avenue's traffic light, blocked vehicular access, and overturned garbage containers before the authorities intervened.

Shortly thereafter, Gallego reported the arrival of police forces, including about 10 patrol cars. At least two individuals—a woman and a young man—were taken into custody, according to Gallego's reports.

Authorities' Swift Response

A local resident described the police operation to Martí Noticias, noting the deployment of "patrols, Black Berets, and Red Berets," which indicated the presence of the MININT Special Brigade and Prevention Troops.

She recounted how people emerged with "pots and pans," overturned trash bins, and blocked the avenue's traffic light to halt traffic. The resident expressed the community's frustration, stating, "It's too much; they're hardly giving us any power. There was no water, and that's unbearable—no water, no light."

Underlying Causes and Broader Impact

The growing desperation was captured in another of her remarks: "On and off, on and off, on and off—there's not even time to cook rice."

The A940 electric circuit supplying Fontanar had been experiencing generation deficits since September 1. After the protest, power was temporarily restored at 2 a.m. on Saturday, only to be cut again a few hours later.

This incident is part of a series of protests that have swept through Havana in recent days. Residents in Vedado blocked Avenue 26 after enduring over 40 hours without power. Meanwhile, a police operation involving eight patrol cars and over thirty officers encircled the El Fanguito neighborhood during a pot-banging protest, and mothers in Arroyo Naranjo blocked a street with their children in arms.

The electrical crisis exacerbating public dissatisfaction is fundamentally structural. Last Friday, the National Electric System's availability was a mere 1,000 MW, starkly insufficient against a demand of 3,250 MW, resulting in a 2,190 MW shortfall. The system has catastrophically failed seven times thus far in 2026.

The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts documented 1,415 protests and dissent expressions in July 2026, marking a historic monthly high, with 72 in-person demonstrations, 64 of which occurred in Havana. In August, there were 1,185 similar activities.