Dozens of citizens gathered this Saturday in front of the provincial government headquarters in Cienfuegos to demand answers regarding the prolonged power outages and food loss, which, according to the protesters, have become unsustainable.
Among those present were mothers with children. The protesters demanded to be received by the highest-ranking official or the president of the provincial government, as shown in the video published by the opposition figure Raúl González on Facebook.
“We need to see the highest-ranking government official or the president of the government right now. We are here in protest because it is a complete abuse,” one of the participants demanded directly at the entrance of the building.
The activist who recorded and disseminated the videos on social media pointed out a contradiction that the demonstrators find unacceptable: while the authorities justify the blackouts by citing a lack of fuel for the power plants, there were official vehicles parked in front of the government building.
"Look at how many cars the government has parked here right now, all full of fuel. When they say they don't have fuel for the power plants," he reported.
The protesters described a situation of extreme deprivation. "We are going to spend the night without electricity, without food, without electricity, without medicine," stated one of them, while another pointed out that the leaders "live in protected areas" with guaranteed electricity supply.
The police were called to the scene, and several participants were asked to leave.
The activist who led the recording reported that agents had sent for him for filming, and that on previous occasions he had been expelled from the building.
"I have claimed four times, and four times I have been registered for political reasons," he affirmed.
"We are already tired of the same total abuse imposed on the people," summarized one of the protesters in front of the government building in Cienfuegos, in a statement that encapsulates the frustration of those who took to the streets this Saturday.
The protest occurs at the worst moment of the Cuban energy crisis so far in 2026.
In August, the electricity generation deficit exceeded 2,400 MW, with blackouts in some areas exceeding twenty hours daily.
Cienfuegos experienced power outages ranging from 11 to 16 hours daily, and during the Popular Festivals mid-month, outages exceeding 24 hours were reported in various localities.
The discomfort of the population is constant. The Cuban Conflict Observatory (OCC) documented 1,415 protests, complaints, and critical expressions in July, which represents a 13.84% increase compared to the 1,220 recorded in June and a 40.33% increase compared to the 845 registered in July 2025.
Of these, there were 72 in-person protests, 64 in Havana and 8 in other provinces.
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