Students gathered on the steps of UH meet with university authorities

The student protest that began this Monday on the steps of the University of Havana took a turn hours later when the demonstrators decided to enter the institution to meet with university authorities.

The CNN correspondent in Cuba, Patrick Oppmann, reported on the social network X that the students moved inside the center to engage in dialogue with officials and administrators.

"Update: students have entered the university to meet with officials and administrators. The students say that blackouts, the transportation crisis, and the rising cost of the internet have made studying almost impossible," the journalist wrote.

The protest began with a peaceful sit-in on the historic steps of the Havana campus, featuring around twenty students who were denouncing the difficulties they faced in continuing their studies amid the deep energy crisis affecting the country.

Students are particularly questioning the decision to maintain hybrid or remote classes at several Cuban universities, despite the ongoing blackouts and connectivity issues affecting much of the national territory.

According to testimonies shared by activist Magdiel Jorge Castro, many students find it unfeasible to continue studying under these conditions, as the lack of electricity and limitations on internet connectivity hinder stable participation in virtual academic activities.

These difficulties are compounded by the deterioration of public transportation and the high cost of mobile data, factors that, according to the students themselves, exacerbate the situation and turn the teaching process into an almost impossible challenge.

The discontent does not seem to be limited to the University of Havana. According to testimonies shared on social media, there are also reports of unrest among students at other institutions, such as CUJAE and the University of Computer Sciences (UCI).

During the early hours of the protest, independent journalist Camila Acosta reported that the students remaining on the steps were surrounded by State Security agents.

Amid the tension, the administration of the University of Havana reportedly convened a management council to analyze the situation arising from the increasing student discontent.

The meeting with university authorities could mark the next chapter of a protest that reflects the direct impact of the country's energy and technological crisis on the daily lives of young Cubans.