As Cuba faces the worst energy crisis in its recent history —with blackouts of up to 15 hours a day in Havana and power cuts of up to 87 consecutive hours in some provinces— Miguel Díaz-Canel met this Saturday in Pinar del Río with international solidarity groups to commemorate National Rebelliousness Day, marking the 73rd anniversary of the assault on Moncada. The reaction of Cubans on social media was immediate.
The official publication of the Presidency of Cuba on Facebook described the meeting as "emotional" and highlighted four key points of the leader's speech: sovereignty and self-determination, the impact of the U.S. embargo, logistical obstacles to receiving supplies, and the "resilience and dignity" of the Cuban people. The event included participation from ICAP (Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples) and the Pastors for Peace movement, which reaffirmed that "Cuba is not alone."
Díaz-Canel described the oil blockade as a "collective punishment" and denounced that the fear of reprisals prevents shipping companies from transporting food and equipment to Cuban ports. The regime also presented data at the event that, paradoxically, illustrate its own failure: infant mortality has doubled — from 4.0 per thousand live births in 2018 to 9.9 in 2025, an increase of 148% — and the surgical waiting list exceeds 100,000 people, including more than 10,000 children.
The contrast between the setup of the event—microphones, chairs, flags from dozens of countries, international delegations, transportation logistics—and the daily reality of Cubans without electricity or fuel sparked a wave of ironic comments. The one that became the perfect encapsulation of the day was brief and devastating: "There's fuel for that."
Other internet users were equally straightforward. One wrote, "Independence and sovereignty are utopias that don’t put food on my table; I am hungry." Another simply asked, "How long will this last?" A third was more direct: "Just leave already!" There was also someone who made a sarcastic remark about the leader's trip: "I heard that after this tour, he’s going to get on a plane and head off." And another pointedly added, "How’s that utopia working out for you?"
A more elaborate comment captured the sentiments of many: "A government is not measured by the number of speeches it delivers or the narrative it constructs, but by its ability to ensure the most basic things: security, justice, health, education, infrastructure, and opportunities for the population."
The figures surrounding the energy collapse associated with the event are striking. On July 23 —the eve of the main event— the electrical deficit reached 2,315 MW, with only 1,070 MW available against a demand of 3,200 MW. On that same day, 106 distributed generation plants were shut down due to a lack of fuel. The historical record for deficit had just been set on July 8: 2,341 MW, with about 73% of the territory without electricity simultaneously.
In April 2026, Díaz-Canel himself publicly admitted that Cuba "absolutely lacks fuel for almost everything". The country produces only 40,000 barrels of oil daily against a need of 110,000, and has gone almost four months without receiving imported oil regularly.
Pinar del Río was chosen as the venue for the central event for the fourth time in history —the previous ones were in 1976, 2000, and 2017— a decision announced on June 27 by the Political Bureau of the PCC. The Ministry of Labor confirmed a work break on July 25, 26, and 27; and even amidst shortages of all kinds, the regime has managed to prepare everything in the plaza in Pinar for the propaganda show. The event also coincides with the centenary of Fidel Castro's birth, which the government imbued with special symbolism, although for many Cubans, the most telling symbol of the day was another: a country without power that managed to find fuel for the performance with the support groups.
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