A nighttime photo of Havana shrouded in darkness, shared in the Facebook group of the Empresa Eléctrica de La Habana, sparked a wave of sarcastic and angry comments from citizens.
Residents of Cuba are voicing their frustration as power outages continue unabated in Havana, with some circuits experiencing more disruptions than others. This comes despite Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz's directive to distribute the outages more evenly.
On Thursday, Marrero led a working session at the Provincial Load Office in Havana to assess the capital's worsening electrical crisis. He instructed a review of block and circuit rotations, with a focus on areas suffering the most prolonged outages.
The public, however, met this measure with widespread skepticism. Despite Marrero's orders, the blackouts persisted, leading to a popular phrase circulating on social media: "They don't respect Marrero."
Depth of the Crisis
The irony among the populace is rooted in an unprecedented crisis. The national electrical deficit hit a historic high of 2,204 MW in May 2026, surpassing the previous record of 2,075 MW on March 6.
The immediate trigger for this crisis is the country's ongoing fuel shortage, compounded by the ninth malfunction at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the most powerful facility. The plant was taken offline on May 14 at 4:58 a.m. due to a boiler leak, causing a partial collapse of the National Electric System from Ciego de Ávila to Guantánamo.
Widespread Impact
The fallout extended beyond electricity, with 376,055 people in Havana experiencing disrupted water supplies. Among them, 66,961 were affected by breakdowns, while the rest suffered due to power outages impacting the pumping system.
Public outrage had been simmering for days. On May 8, the phrase "In the UNE chief's block, there's power" went viral in the Empresa Eléctrica de La Habana's Facebook group, highlighting the uneven distribution of services.
Protests erupted in at least 12 Havana municipalities—Guanabacoa, Marianao, Playa, San Miguel del Padrón, Luyanó, Santos Suárez, and Habana del Este—featuring barricades, bonfires, and banging of pots and pans between May 13 and 15.
Although the partial reintegration of the Guiteras plant into the system was announced on Monday, it failed to prevent widespread outages across the island, marking the most severe energy crisis of the year.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
What is causing the power outages in Havana?
The power outages in Havana are primarily due to a severe fuel shortage and repeated breakdowns at key power plants like the Antonio Guiteras facility.
How has the public reacted to the ongoing blackouts in Cuba?
The public has responded with sarcasm and frustration, as seen in social media comments and protests across multiple municipalities in Havana.
What measures has the Cuban government taken to address the crisis?
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz ordered a review of outage rotations to prioritize areas with the most power loss, but this has met with skepticism from the public.