A powerful pot-banging protest erupted this afternoon in the neighborhood of Santos Suárez, Diez de Octubre municipality, in Havana, amidst blackouts that last up to 15 consecutive hours and an unprecedented energy crisis in Cuba.
The journalist Magdiel Jorge Castro was the one who broadcasted the news in real time through his X profile: "I'm receiving reports of a strong pot banging at this hour in Santo Suárez, Havana. In the full afternoon... people can’t take it anymore."
In another post, he said: "My sources from there report to me over 24 hours without electricity... the situation is unbearable."
In a third post, the journalist emphasized: "Neither one nor ten Russian ships will resolve the situation of the electric system. People are running out of patience."
The pot-banging protest this Wednesday is taking place in one of the neighborhoods with the highest history of protests in Havana.
Santos Suárez was the scene of loud protests on March 10, 12, and 20, 2026, when residents came together to light bonfires and block traffic on Santa Irene and the Calzada de Diez de Octubre despite the police presence and "black berets."
The energy crisis fueling discontent is devastating. This Wednesday, the Unión Eléctrica forecasted impacts of up to 1,880 megawatts during peak hours, with eight of the 16 thermoelectric units in the country out of service.
At six in the morning, the availability of the National Electric System was only 1,090 megawatts against a demand of 2,450 megawatts, leaving 1,337 megawatts uncovered.
During the night of Tuesday, the deficit reached 1,729 megawatts, and the year's peak was recorded on April 1 with 1,945 megawatts.
The main thermoelectric plant in the country, Antonio Guiteras, has been experiencing breakdowns since February —in the boiler, in a pipe, and in a boiler punch-up in April— which have left it out of service.
The generational crisis is compounded by the shortage of fuel. The supply of Venezuelan oil was interrupted since January 2026 after the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The first oil tanker in three months —the Russian Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 100,000 tons of crude— arrived in April, but it only covers between seven and ten days of consumption.
The wave of protests in Havana is not limited to Santos Suárez. On April 1, women blocked Mario Street and the Calzada de Diez de Octubre due to three months without water and power outages.
On April 2, residents of Tamarindo Street in Luyanó held another pot-banging protest.
The regime's response has combined repression with internet cuts in areas of protest. At least 14 people were arrested for pot-banging since March 6, 2026, in a context where Cuba ended 2025 with a record of 1,192 political prisoners.
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