This past Friday, a large group of residents gathered at the intersection of Escobar and San Miguel streets in Central Havana, voicing their discontent over the ongoing power outages plaguing the Cuban capital.
Footage shared on Facebook by Glenda Rancano reveals scores of individuals on the street, with ominous black smoke billowing in the background, seemingly from burning trash or makeshift barricades.
Accompanied by four fire emojis, the post titled "Escobar and San Miguel Centro Habana !!" quickly amassed over 3,800 views.
The video captures a narrow street lined with colonial-era buildings, their facades in disrepair. Adults and children fill the area, either observing or navigating through the smoke. This scene is not isolated; similar protests involving banging pots, barricades, and vocal discontent against the government were reported in Playa, El Vedado, and Santos Suárez on the same day.
One of the most symbolic moments occurred in the Bahía neighborhood, where residents sang the National Anthem on the street during a protest sparked by the ongoing power cuts.
Underlying Causes of the Unrest
The protests are fueled by Cuba's severe energy crisis. On Wednesday, November 17, the Unión Eléctrica (UNE) warned that power outages could impact 69% of the country between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM, with only 950 MW available against a demand for 3,000 MW.
By Thursday, November 18, the UNE reported 970 MW available at 6:00 AM, with 1,650 MW already affected and a projected 2,075 MW expected to be out of service during peak hours.
The failure of the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Plant on June 15 exacerbated a system already struggling with chronic deficits nearing 2,000 MW daily.
History of Protests in Central Havana
Central Havana has been a hotbed of escalating tension. On June 17, a massive protest broke out at Manrique and Reina, just six blocks from the Capitol.
June 8 saw a night of banging pots and street fires at Infanta and San Lázaro, met with a substantial police presence.
On June 3, San Lázaro residents successfully pushed back police during a nighttime protest following more than twenty hours without electricity.
Escobar and San Miguel streets have their own history of unrest: in February 2026, a fire was reported in this section, and San Miguel Street has been the site of complaints about garbage blocking public pathways.
Escalating Protests Across Cuba
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,245 protests in March, 1,133 in April, and 1,311 in May 2026, marking one of the most significant waves of unrest since July 11, 2021.
According to Cubalex, at least 14 arrests in Havana have been tied to protests over power outages since March 6.
The government has yet to provide solutions to the underlying crisis and has responded with increased police deployments, while the blackouts continue to worsen with no resolution in sight.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Havana Protests
What triggered the recent protests in Central Havana?
The protests were primarily triggered by widespread power outages affecting a large portion of Cuba, causing significant disruption and frustration among the population.
How has the Cuban government responded to the protests?
The Cuban government has not offered solutions to address the root causes of the energy crisis, opting instead to increase police presence to manage the unrest.