In the neighborhood of D'Beche, located in the Cuban municipality of Guanabacoa, residents initiated a massive pot-banging protest on Friday night, shrouded in complete darkness.
Social media reports revealed that the community has been enduring five consecutive days without electricity due to a dual transformer failure that left the entire area without power.
The situation escalated when the local transformer exploded. Although the Electric Company installed a replacement unit, it also malfunctioned soon after electricity was restored, leaving the residents with no immediate solution in sight.
"We can't take it anymore. They give us two hours of electricity followed by thirty hours of blackout. This is not a way to live. We cannot endure it any longer. It's inhumane what we're going through. There are sick children and elderly people here," several residents expressed, according to La Tijera's profile, which shared a video of the protest where neighbors banged their pots in defiance.
Rising Discontent in Guanabacoa
The protest in D'Beche is not an isolated incident.
Throughout 2026, Guanabacoa has emerged as one of Havana's most active centers of public dissent, with continuous pot-banging protests: Las Minas in March, Calzada Vieja in May, La Hata on July 8, the Nalón neighborhood on July 11, and Loma de la Pela in mid-July, where the presence of State Security agents was reported.
The national backdrop further exacerbates the situation. On July 29, a staggering 74% of the country was simultaneously left without power, marking the highest level since energy statistics began being published in 2022.
Nationwide Energy Crisis Deepens
July witnessed at least three complete collapses of the National Electroenergy System, occurring on the 6th, 10th, and 14th of the month.
In a session before the National Assembly on Thursday, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy acknowledged that some communities have endured up to 105 consecutive days without power. He attributed the prolonged outages to aging transformers and outdated voltage circuits.
The minister also conceded that resolving the power outages "does not have a short-term solution" and that the system lacks sufficient fuel to stabilize, a stark contrast to the desperation voiced by residents in the streets.
Government Crackdown on Protests
The regime's response to protests has followed a systematic pattern of repression. The organization Cubalex documented 38 arrests linked to pot-banging protests in June 2026 alone, including six minors, and recorded 319 repressive events that month throughout Cuba.
While the government fails to provide concrete solutions, the residents of D'Beche continue to clang their pots in the darkness, joining a wave of protests that shows no sign of abating.
Understanding the Power Outages in Cuba
What caused the power outage in Guanabacoa?
The power outage in Guanabacoa was caused by a double failure of transformers, with the initial transformer exploding and the replacement unit also malfunctioning shortly after installation.
How has the Cuban government responded to the protests?
The Cuban government has responded to the protests with a pattern of repression, including numerous arrests and repressive actions documented by organizations like Cubalex.
What are the broader implications of Cuba's energy crisis?
Cuba's energy crisis has led to widespread blackouts affecting a significant portion of the population, with the aging infrastructure and lack of fuel contributing to prolonged outages and public unrest.