The Cuban singer Osmani García released a video this week on Facebook and TikTok with a direct and urgent plea to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to intervene in Cuba, amid an unprecedented wave of protests sweeping the island due to blackouts and the crisis in basic services.
In the video shared on their social media, García exclaims: "End the intervention in Cuba! For the love of God, put an end to this great abuse. What a nightmare! How long will this last? Please, just come in! Daily, there is a massacre in hospitals, prisons, and on the streets, in every sense. The time has come to come in and liberate them! What is missing?"
The artist, known for the hit "El taxi" and living in exile, accompanied his message with nighttime images of a street protest featuring bonfires in a Cuban city. "Cubans are shouting for Freedom. They have nothing left but their lives and to call for help to be saved as they were told. They are putting their lives on the line. How much longer?" he wrote in the post.
The call comes at a time of heightened social tension that Cuba has experienced in years. The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts (OCC) recorded 1,245 protests in March 2026, 1,133 in April, and 1,311 in May across the island, driven mainly by power outages of up to 22 hours a day, as well as shortages of water and food.
This Thursday, residents of Santos Suárez beat pots after 31 hours without electricity, with police present at the scene. On Sunday, strong protests shook Centro Habana with pot-banging and fires at the corners of Infanta and San Lázaro. On Saturday, residents of Regla blocked Maceo Street demanding electricity and water after more than 24 hours without power.
The energy crisis reached critical levels on June 5, when the National Electric Union reported a availability of only 1,090 MW against a demand of 3,050 MW, resulting in a deficit of 1,960 MW that could leave up to 65% of the country without electricity simultaneously.
Repression has also intensified. Cubalex documented at least 14 arrests in Havana related to protests against power outages since March 6. The Cuban prosecution requested up to 13 years in prison for three women who peacefully protested in Santiago de Cuba.
García, for his part, is no stranger to this type of stance supporting freedom on the island and the end of the dictatorship. In July 2020, he participated in a meeting with Trump and representatives of the Cuban community, where he urged legal action against the regime's leadership. In October of that same year, he interviewed the then-candidate in Miami. In 2022, he filmed the music video for "KKNEL", a song directly aimed at Díaz-Canel.
In March 2024, responding to new protests in Cuba, García stated: "There is nothing above the hungry stomach of a child."
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