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The Cuban Conga Against Homophobia and Transphobia, scheduled for this Sunday, May 17, in Havana, has been postponed to July by the decision of the National Center for Sexual Education (Cenesex), as announced by its director Mariela Castro Espín during the 19th Cuban Gala Against Homophobia and Transphobia, held on Thursday at the America Variety Theater in Central Havana.
Castro Espín justified the decision by citing "the uncertainty of these days," referring directly to the serious power crisis affecting Cuba, and noted that the conga will be part of the summer kick-off activities in July.
According to the director of Cenesex, the postponement "will allow for better conditions to carry it out and for the extensive participation that has always characterized it."
The announcement comes in the context of one of the worst weeks of blackouts in recent history in Cuba, with a projected electrical deficit for last Thursday's peak nighttime hours of 2,204 MW, a new historical record, and blackouts lasting between 20 and 22 hours daily in several areas of the country.
On Wednesday, May 13, Havana was without electricity for a full 24 hours.
That same Thursday, the National Electric System recorded a partial drop starting at 6:09 AM, with only 636 MW available against a demand of 2,420 MW, leaving 74% of the demand unmet.
Despite the postponement of the conga, Castro Espín emphasized that the National Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia will extend beyond May with workshops, training sessions, courses, and dialogue spaces. "Even so," he said, "we have a desire to continue celebrating the achievements we have made in the field of human rights, the rights of individuals, and sexual and gender diversity."
Next week, activities will take place in the province of Artemisa, the second venue for the initiative this year.
At the Theater América gala, Cenesex presented awards to organizations and individuals recognized for their work in defending LGBTIQ+ rights, including Prosalud, psychologist Norma Guillard Limonta, the TransCuba Network, the Network of Lesbian and Bisexual Women, and activist Teresa de Jesús Fernández González.
Artists such as tres player Yarima Blanco, troubadour Adrián Berazaín, the companies Euphoria Glam and Cabaret Parisien, and drag performers took the stage.
The conga has a troubled history: in 2019 it was canceled by the government and independent activists organized an alternative march along the Paseo del Prado that ended with repression and arrests. In 2022, Castro suspended it out of respect for the victims of the Saratoga hotel explosion.
Last Thursday, Mariela Castro linked LGBTIQ+ activism with the defense of Cuban sovereignty against what she termed a "hybrid war" by the United States, and described the independent LGBTIQ+ opposition as "fictitious" and "mercenary."
The 2026 event takes place under the theme "Love is Law," although the most visible activity on the calendar will be postponed until the electrical crisis that paralyzes the country allows for its celebration with guarantees, according to Cenesex.
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