New pot-banging protests shook Havana this Sunday, this time in the municipalities of Playa and El Vedado, according to videos sent to this editorial that recorded the nighttime demonstrations in both areas of the Cuban capital.
In the images, the sound of pots being banged can be heard from a distance, and in El Vedado, a point of fire is visible: according to the report, neighbors "set something on fire," a practice that has become common in recent protests, where Cubans burn garbage bins as a way to express their discontent over the endless blackouts.
The new demonstrations add to a wave of protests that has been shaking the capital for days, described as the largest mobilization in Havana since July 11, 2021.
Since May 12, protests have spread to at least 12 municipalities in Havana, including Marianao, Luyanó, Santos Suárez, San Miguel del Padrón, Nuevo Vedado, Guanabacoa, Regla, Boyeros, Puentes Grandes, and Habana del Este.
The trigger is an unprecedented energy crisis: the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, admitted to blackouts lasting between 20 and 22 hours daily in some circuits of Havana.
The Electric Union reported on May 13 a generation deficit of 2,113 MW, with only 1,230 MW available against a demand of 3,250 MW.
The Playa municipality, one of the stages this Sunday, had already been at the center of police repression last Wednesday, when officers beat protesters during the nighttime demonstrations.
In parallel, a massive internet outage in Havana was recorded during the protests on May 14 and 15, interpreted as an attempt by the regime to limit the dissemination of images and testimonies.
The slogans that have echoed in the neighborhoods of Havana this week range from “Power and food!” shouted by residents of San Miguel del Padrón in front of the municipal government headquarters, to “Down with the dictatorship!”, heard in various parts of the capital.
The NGO Cubalex reported that at least 14 people had been arrested in Havana in connection with pot-banging and protests since March 6, 2026.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,133 protests in April 2026, a 29.5% increase compared to April 2025, illustrating the sustained escalation of social unrest on the island.
The new pot-banging protests this Sunday in Playa and El Vedado confirm that the demonstrations have not ceased despite the police presence and internet cuts, and that public outrage continues to grow with every additional hour without electricity.
Filed under: