This past Friday evening, the residents of Nuevo Vedado in Havana staged a loud protest, banging pots and shouting from their homes to voice their frustration with the authorities responsible for nearly 60 hours of blackout following the latest total collapse of the national electro-energy system (SEN).
Yoani Sánchez, a journalist and director of the independent outlet 14ymedio, reported on social media, "Pot-banging in the Nuevo Vedado neighborhood of Havana, where our newsroom is located, after almost 60 hours without electricity," sharing a video that captured the protests' soundscape.
Shrouded in darkness, the community erupted as night fell for the third consecutive evening in a total blackout. This was caused by both Hurricane Rafael and another catastrophic failure of Cuba's debilitated electrical infrastructure.
Protests in the Dark: Cuban Resilience Against Blackouts and Repression
Despite a recent announcement of a partial restoration of the SEN, officials admitted that repairs would be lengthy due to significant damage to key transmission lines and electrical substations.
Faced with the uncertainty and challenges brought on by the blackouts, the people of Havana resorted to pot-banging, a form of protest proliferating in a nation where the regime suppresses dissent and punishes those who dare to assert their rights and freedoms.
The independent media outlet CubaNet also covered Friday's protests in Nuevo Vedado, releasing a video on social media featuring the sound of pot-banging from residents of two towering 20-story buildings in the central Plaza de la Revolución district.
Enduring Energy Crisis Fuels Social Unrest
The promise of a partial system recovery has provided little comfort to Cubans, who continue to demand lasting and practical solutions. Without tangible improvements in electricity supply, Cuba remains beset by social tensions and stark evidence of its infrastructure's fragility.
Recurring service failures have intensified a persistent energy crisis that has gripped Cuba over the past years. Protests and pot-banging in neighborhoods like El Vedado, as well as other areas, directly reflect the exhaustion and frustration of citizens dealing with an inefficient power grid and a leadership unable to deliver sustainable solutions.
These events are part of a larger pattern of frequent demonstrations occurring across the island. Since early 2024, protests against blackouts have increased, featuring pot-banging and spontaneous gatherings.
The absence of electricity directly impacts essential aspects of daily life, such as food preservation, water access, and the ability to work, all within an environment already plagued by resource shortages and economic constraints.
The situation underscores not only the discontent with the power outages but also a deeper dissatisfaction with deteriorating living conditions and the regime's typical response of repression and arresting protesters. Without real improvements in the electricity supply, Cuba continues to face social unrest and infrastructure vulnerability.
While protests over blackouts are not new in Cuba, the current context adds a sense of urgency. The island's living conditions have worsened in recent years due to an economic crisis, basic goods shortages, and relentless inflation.
The demonstrations in El Vedado echo spontaneous mobilizations seen elsewhere on the island, where fatigue and exasperation drive the population to take to the streets.