A wave of widespread pot-banging protests erupted across Santiago de Cuba on Thursday night, with demonstrations occurring simultaneously throughout the city, as reported live by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada via his Facebook account.
Having extensively covered weeks of protests in the province, Mayeta dubbed the city with a name that captures the magnitude of the events: "I just christened Santiago de Cuba as 'THE CITY OF POTS'‼."
The journalist also warned of a forceful response from the regime: "Carretera del Morro and Calle 9 in Santiago de Cuba are militarized‼" he wrote, sharing a nighttime video showing heavy vehicles deployed in the public streets.
From another location in the city, journalist José L. Tan Estrada confirmed the gatherings: "Reports indicate that residents are banging pots on Calle 9 and gathering at Carretera El Morro park in protest," he noted, adding, "there is a police presence at the site as more citizens join the protest."
The immediate trigger for these demonstrations is the crippling power crisis in Santiago de Cuba: on June 16, the Electric Company reorganized power outages into nine blocks, leaving each area with just one or two hours of electricity per day, resulting in up to 22-hour consecutive blackouts.
The situation worsened on June 15 when the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant went offline due to a boiler leak—its 15th breakdown of the year—raising the projected impact for the nighttime peak to 2,085 MW against an availability of merely 995-1,215 MW and a national demand of 3,100 MW.
Thursday's protests are not isolated incidents but the culmination of an ongoing wave. On Wednesday, the Reparto Sueño already saw pot-banging protests that spread to Santa Bárbara, Reparto Antonio Maceo, Calle 17 de Veguita de Galo, Reparto Mármol, and Altamira.
Earlier, on June 12, residents of Centro Urbano José Martí took to the streets demanding electricity, food, and freedom; on June 5, neighbors of Micro 2 protested with pot-banging after more than ten days without power; and on May 30 and 31, the neighborhoods of Micro 3 and El Salao erupted with tire burnings and chants of "Down with the dictatorship!" and "Homeland and Life!"
These protests also follow a day after the Extraordinary Plenary Session of the PCC Central Committee, held on Wednesday, where the regime debated over 20 economic reforms while the population protested in the streets across various provinces.
The Cuban Conflict Observatory recorded 1,311 protests throughout Cuba in May 2026, a number close to the historic high of 1,333 registered in December 2025, marking a 42% increase in direct challenges to the police state compared to April.
Understanding the Protests in Santiago de Cuba
What sparked the recent protests in Santiago de Cuba?
The immediate cause of the protests was the severe power crisis, with the city experiencing up to 22-hour blackouts daily due to the reorganization of power outages and the breakdown of key power plants.
How has the Cuban government responded to these protests?
The government's response has included heavy militarization of key areas in Santiago de Cuba, with reports of police presence and deployment of large vehicles to manage the protests.
Are these protests part of a larger movement in Cuba?
Yes, the protests in Santiago de Cuba are part of a broader wave of demonstrations across the country, reflecting widespread discontent with the regime's handling of economic and social issues.
What has been the public's reaction to the government's economic reforms?
Despite the government's discussion of over 20 economic reforms, the public remains dissatisfied, as evidenced by the ongoing protests demanding more substantial changes and improvements in living conditions.