Residents of Havana managed to restore electricity service on Wednesday night after staging new protests against the prolonged blackouts and facing a strong police presence from the Cuban regime.
The journalist Mario J. Pentón reported protests at the intersection of Monte and Águila and other areas of the capital, describing the situation as "very tense."
"High tension in Havana: after the protests and heavy police presence, residents managed to restore electricity," the journalist confirmed.
Previously, there had been reports of a strong mobilization of residents following endless blackouts. "I've been told that the night in Havana is sweltering. The internet is terrible. I will keep you informed," wrote Pentón, who warned about the connectivity difficulties the island faces during the mobilizations.
Simultaneously, pot-banging protest sessions were reported in Holguín, described by residents as "with a rhythm of freedom," and "caldero beats" in Placetas, Villa Clara, highlighting that the discontent is overflowing beyond the capital.
The testimonies gathered on social media painted a picture of extreme desperation. From Lawton, in the 10 de Octubre municipality, a resident reported 36 consecutive hours without electricity and ongoing protests in the area.
In San Miguel del Padrón, the electricity arrived at nine in the evening and was cut off by ten, with a maximum of four hours daily for several days. "The atmosphere feels tense, but so far there are no protests," noted an internet user from that area.
From El Vedado, at the corner of 23 and 12, a resident described it as "very strange" that electricity was restored and warned that "there's something in the air."
Several internet users also reported that the regime cuts off internet access every day starting at noon in Havana, a common tactic to hinder the spread of protests. "All of Havana is shut down and without internet," wrote one user.
These protests in Havana occur one day after the capital experienced a day of intense pot-banging in El Vedado, Centro Habana, Playa, Regla, Old Havana, Cayo Hueso, and San Miguel del Padrón, coinciding with Raúl Castro's 95th birthday.
On that Wednesday, protesters managed to push back the police in at least one incident without any arrests being made.
The background is the severe electricity crisis that Cuba is experiencing. The national electrical deficit approached 2,000 MW during peak hours on Wednesday, with only 1,265 MW available against a demand of 3,150 MW, leaving some areas without electricity for more than 30 hours.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,133 protests during April 2026 alone, a 29.5% increase compared to the same month in 2025. The organization Cubalex documented at least 14 arrests in Havana related to these protests since March 6.
A 60-year-old internet user summarized the feelings of many Cubans: "Enough is enough; what they are doing to the people is inhumane and unjust. I have six grandchildren that I want to live free from this terrible plague."
Another internet user issued a warning that echoed in the comments: "Mario, remember this, what’s left until another July 11 is nothing."
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