Residents of three buildings in the José Martí District —commonly known as Micro 7, in the municipality of Santiago de Cuba— reported on social media that they have been without electricity for over a month, demanding a solution from the Electric Company with a phrase that sums up their outrage: "We are not asking for a favor."
The complaint was shared in the Facebook group "Electricity of Cuba...what unites us" and highlights the affected blocks: prefabricated buildings of Soviet influence, constructed between the sixties and eighties, with deteriorating concrete façades, peeling paint, and clear signs of neglect.
The situation in Micro 7 is not new, but this time it has reached an extreme level: it is not about rolling blackouts but rather a complete disconnection that lasts for weeks.
Just days before this report, a resident of the same area reported almost 24 consecutive hours without electricity, which illustrates the buildup of issues in that zone.
In August, residents of Micro 7 had already put up posters reading “We want food, electricity, freedom” in protest against power outages lasting up to 22 consecutive hours, and that same month, a cable theft left buildings in the area without electricity for five days.
The history of electrical crises in Santiago de Cuba during 2026 is extensive and serious.
In July, residents of Veguita de Galo reported 26 consecutive days without electricity due to the malfunction of a transformer that, after being replaced, exploded less than two hours after it started operating.
In September, residents of the 18-story buildings in the Garzón complex reported nearly 40 hours without electricity, leaving elevators and water pumps inoperable, forcing neighbors to climb up to 18 floors on foot and carry water from the street. A resident from the tenth floor described the situation as "inhumane."
That same month, in Mariana de la Torre, the power outage lasted for 48 hours due to a malfunction in the wiring of a high-capacity transformer.
The crisis has structural roots: degradation of the thermoelectric network, fuel shortages, lack of maintenance, and aging distribution infrastructure.
The Electric Union reported on Wednesday a maximum generation of only 1,785 MW, well below national demand, which forces prolonged outages throughout the country.
The Electric Company of Santiago de Cuba reorganized the blackouts in nine residential blocks since mid-June, with areas receiving only one or two hours of service daily — and three days after the announcement, the company itself acknowledged that it couldn't even guarantee that minimum.
The map of blackout incidents in Santiago de Cuba recorded 414 events in the municipality and 433 throughout the province as of this Friday, making this city one of the most affected in the country.
Santiago de Cuba was also the last province to reconnect after the complete blackout of the National Electric System on August 2, 2026, and it disconnected again during the restoration of the service itself.
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