Clad in olive-green military attire, Miguel Díaz-Canel led the National Defense Day activities this past Friday at the Casablanca Defense Zone Council in the Havana municipality of Regla. He shared a video on his Facebook account, emphasizing that "defense readiness remains a top priority for Cuba."
This marked the eleventh defense-focused event Díaz-Canel has personally overseen this year, as reported by the Cuban presidency. These activities are part of the "2026 Year of Defense Preparation," which, since January, has enforced near-weekly military exercises under the "War of All the People" doctrine.
The post swiftly ignited a surge of critical and mocking comments highlighting a glaring contradiction: while Cubans endure power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day, the regime seemingly reserves electricity, fuel, and air conditioning for its military events.
One user, Gaby Mesa, remarked pointedly on Díaz-Canel's post, "Electricity for this! Not a drop of sweat with those fabrics! Air conditioning, fuel to move people, and so on!" This comment resonated widely among followers.
Ariel Morales, another commenter, was more blunt: "Visit the neighborhoods and check the electricity dispatch office, which is run like a mafia. When you call to complain, they treat you like dirt. I know you won't see this because someone else manages your social media."
Irony extended to the weaponry as well. A user known as Tom Sawyer quipped, "Surely they were counting the stones each person gets to throw." Meanwhile, Chuly Blokeada added, "I won't hide in any holes, but if I must, please, God, don't let me be stuck with the leaders, who hog all the space with their bellies."
The backdrop of this outrage is an unprecedented energy crisis. On the same Friday as the Regla event, the National Electric System had just 1,000 MW of available generation capacity against a demand of 3,250 MW, resulting in a projected shortfall of 2,190 MW, according to data from the Electric Union.
This situation is neither new nor isolated. September began with outages affecting up to 70% of the island simultaneously. On September 1, eleven of the country's sixteen thermoelectric units were out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance, with the real maximum impact reaching 2,292 MW.
Cuba has experienced at least six total collapses of the electrical system in 2026, leading to blackouts lasting more than two consecutive days in some provinces. The collapse on July 6 left about 9.6 million people without power.
This pattern of public reaction to military exercises has been consistent throughout the year. Since January, when the Western Army was ridiculed for its outdated equipment, up to the maneuvers in June and August, every official publication about defense preparation has been met with comments contrasting resource expenditure with the scarcity experienced by the populace.
The Electric Union predicted that from September to December, maintenance and breakdowns at various thermoelectric plants would coincide, exacerbating outages in the remaining months of the year.
Cuban Energy Crisis and Defense Priorities
What is the "2026 Year of Defense Preparation"?
The "2026 Year of Defense Preparation" is an initiative by the Cuban government involving near-weekly military exercises under the "War of All the People" doctrine, emphasizing national defense readiness.
How has the energy crisis affected Cuba?
Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis, with power outages lasting up to 20 hours a day. The National Electric System's capacity is significantly below demand, causing widespread blackouts.
Why are Cubans criticizing Díaz-Canel's defense priorities?
Cubans are criticizing Díaz-Canel's focus on defense exercises due to the perceived prioritization of resources like electricity and fuel for these events, while the general population suffers from severe shortages.