The desperation over blackouts flared up again in Havana. After endless hours without electricity, residents of Reparto Bahía staged a new popular protest on Tuesday night, amidst the growing frustration among citizens due to the energy crisis hitting Cuba.
A video shared by activist Lara Crofs showcases the atmosphere of tension and defiance in the Havana neighborhood as cauldrons, trumpets, and chants against the regime can be heard. “Up my Havana, it’s them or us,” Crofs wrote, accompanied by the slogan “Down with the dictatorship!”.
The protest occurs just a day after another pot-banging protest reported in Luyanó, where residents blocked Calzada de Concha in response to power outages that now exceed 20 hours a day in some areas of the capital.
The images shared on social media reflect an increasingly common scene in Cuba: citizens banging on pots from their homes or in the streets, defying fear and expressing their exhaustion over a situation they deem unsustainable.
The discomfort coincides with one of the worst days of the energy crisis so far in 2026. According to the latest report from the Electric Union (UNE), Cuba was projecting a deficit of 1,960 MW for this Tuesday during the evening peak hours, with an availability of only 1,290 MW against an estimated demand of 3,250 MW.
The anticipated impact reaches 1,990 MW, which is equivalent to leaving nearly two-thirds of the country without electricity.
Since early Tuesday morning, there were already 1,649 MW affected. On Monday, the maximum impact exceeded 2,000 MW, one of the highest figures recorded in recent months.
The collapse of the electrical system is exacerbated by multiple breakdowns at thermal power plants and a shortage of fuel. Several units remain out of service at the plants in Mariel, Renté, Nuevitas, Felton, and Santiago de Cuba, while the contribution from solar parks is insufficient to meet nighttime demand.
Cuba has experienced at least seven total collapses of the electrical system in the last 18 months. The most severe occurred on March 16, 2026, when a nationwide blackout left the country in the dark for nearly 30 hours.
For thousands of Cubans, the lack of electricity is no longer just a daily annoyance; it has become the trigger for a social outrage that is once again being heard in the streets of Havana.
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