Encrucijada, in Villa Clara, was the setting for one of the most significant public protests in Cuba following the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN) before Hurricane Rafael made landfall.
The residents of this town had been without electricity for over 48 hours when they gathered in front of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power on the night of November 7 to express their outrage with a loud pots-and-pans protest.
The demonstration took place with dozens of people demanding the restoration of electricity service, amid growing discontent over frequent power outages and the delayed response from local authorities.
Videos shared on social media showed protesters banging pots and shouting slogans, including: "They won't silence us!"
Citizens demanded an immediate solution, forcing municipal leaders to confront the crowd. Hours after the protest, the Villa Clara Electric Company announced the restoration of service in several circuits of the municipality, including the areas of Jutiero, Vizcaya, and Comunidad la Sierra.
The organization Justicia 11J reported on its social media that there were arrests in the town of Manicaragua, also in Villa Clara, following similar incidents. The protests included clashes with authorities, pot-banging, street blockades, and damage to state facilities.
In a context of instability, the Cuban government announced the complete disconnection of the National Electric Power System due to the impact of Hurricane Rafael, marking the second total outage in less than a month.
This Thursday, Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba has not collapsed and that the reports on social media regarding the protests, the disasters caused by hurricanes, and the hardships faced by the people are part of a "campaign driven by haters" to harm the state.
For his part, Minister Vicente de la O'Levy reported that the SEN is now synchronized and that Cuban linemen are working in the western provinces on circuit adjustments, pole installations, and electrical wiring. Havana has started receiving power and has 81 MW supplied.
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