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A video published by the independent outlet CubaNet explores the streets of Havana with a single question: "Will this fall or not?" The response from all the young people interviewed is unanimous and without hesitation: yes, it will fall.
The reel from CubaNet on Facebook was published amidst one of the worst multidimensional crises that Cuba has experienced in decades, just two days after widespread protests were reported in the capital related to power outages.
"Of course it’s going to fall apart because we are suffering from hunger here, you wouldn’t believe it. This situation in Cuba is not easy, girls," says one of the testimonies gathered on the street.
Another young person adds, "Every day we’re going backward, never progressing, and it’s back and back all the time. It has to fall apart because there is no electricity here, there's need, hunger, everything, everything, everything."
A third interviewee summarizes the situation bluntly: "There's no electricity, no water, no food. Yesterday, they also cut off the power. We're always just putting up with the same issues."
The context surrounding those testimonies is devastating. On May 13, the U.S. Embassy in Havana reported "numerous reports of protests throughout Havana" and issued the next day a security alert due to power outages and social unrest.
Power outages in the capital reached 14 continuous hours, while in the interior of the country they exceeded 20 hours. The projected electricity deficit during peak hours was around 1,960 MW, with only 1,290 MW available against a demand of 3,250 MW.
Blackouts not only leave homes in the dark. Since 87% of the Cuban aqueduct system relies on the electrical grid, every outage also cuts off water. Only 18.3% of Cubans receive drinking water every day in 2026, compared to 34.1% in 2024.
The food crisis further exacerbates the situation. A recent survey revealed that one in three Cuban households reported that at least one member went to bed hungry in the last year —9.3 points higher than in 2024—.
79.4% of families allocate 80% or more of their income solely to food.
80% of households reported that power outages affected food preparation and 48.3% lost food due to lack of refrigeration.
Among young people, discontent has structural dimensions. Approximately 800,000 young people are disconnected from work and education.
The Union of Young Communists lost more than 200,000 members between 2007 and 2024, decreasing from 609,000 to 415,000 affiliates, a 32% drop driven by mass emigration and ideological disaffection.
The sentiment expressed by these young people on the street is not isolated. A survey published in January 2026 revealed that 62% of Cubans believe the regime could fall that same year; only 3% said it would not fall.
"We want change, but without war," summarized residents of Havana interviewed on Obispo Street in Old Havana at the beginning of the year—a phrase that continues to resonate in every new video coming out of the Island.
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