Residents from the Havana neighborhood of El Fanguito took a bold step on Wednesday night by blocking 23rd Avenue—one of the city's main thoroughfares. This act of defiance came after enduring over 48 hours without basic utilities such as electricity, water, and gas.
The protest drew attention on social media, thanks to Cuban activist and musician El Funky (@elfunkycuba), who shared images showing a significant number of people sitting in the street, effectively halting traffic.
In one video, a local woman can be heard confronting a motorcyclist, insisting, "Turn around, turn around, we've been without power for more than 54 hours, there are children crying. Go back, turn around."
El Funky captured the scene, stating, "In El Fanguito, residents have taken to closing 23rd Avenue as a form of protest after suffering more than two days without essential services. The desperation is mounting as families grapple with increasingly harsh conditions, awaiting solutions to a crisis that disrupts their daily lives."
Labeled with the hashtag #cubaestadofallido, the post garnered over 800 comments swiftly. Notable responses included Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás (@yordenis_ugas), who remarked, "What an outrage, brother." Cuban-American Congressman Carlos Giménez was more forthright, declaring, "DOWN WITH THE DICTATORSHIP." Actress Ángela Lemus expressed her sentiments, saying, "I love these women, my heart aches for what Cubans are enduring."
Many comments highlighted that women were at the forefront of the demonstration. "It's always the women, the brave ones," one comment read. Another wondered, "Where are the tough guys now?"
Summer of Despair: Protests and Power Outages in Havana
El Fanguito, part of the Popular Council El Carmelo, lies along the Almendares River in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality. This area, along with La Timba and Vedado, has been a frequent backdrop for protests involving the banging of pots and pans throughout 2026.
On July 12th, the clamor of pots was heard in broad daylight in the same vicinity. Earlier, on March 23rd, similar noisy protests reached the perimeter of the Communist Party of Cuba's Central Committee.
The Cuban Conflict Observatory (OCC) reported 107 protests across Cuba in June, with Havana alone accounting for 82 of them. The figures in April and May were even higher, with 1,133 and 1,311 protests recorded, respectively.
The national power generation deficit hit 2,315 MW on July 23rd, impacting every province without exception.
El Funky—known formally as Eliécer Márquez Duany, a rapper, member of the San Isidro Movement, and co-author of "Patria y Vida"—uses his platform to highlight and criticize the ongoing issues on the island.
By July 26th, activists were specifically naming La Timba and El Fanguito as areas subjected to prolonged blackouts, with mounting public pressure for the restoration of power services.
Understanding the Protests in Havana
What triggered the protest on 23rd Avenue in El Fanguito?
Residents of El Fanguito blocked 23rd Avenue in protest after enduring over 48 hours without electricity, water, and gas.
Who was involved in documenting the protests in El Fanguito?
Cuban activist and musician El Funky shared images and videos of the protest on social media, drawing significant attention.
How has the power generation deficit affected Cuba?
The national power generation deficit reached 2,315 MW on July 23rd, impacting all provinces in Cuba without exception.