HAVANA, Cuba — Thousands of Cubans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana on May 22 in one of the largest demonstrations the island has seen in years, erupting in support of former leader Raúl Castro a day after Washington announced his criminal indictment. The protests marked the sharpest escalation yet in the 2026 Cuban crisis, a months-long emergency triggered by a total U.S. oil blockade that has left the island without diesel, gasoline, and functioning power infrastructure for months.
The May 22 protest, confirmed by Reuters, Newsweek, and CBC, drew thousands chanting “Viva Raúl” outside the diplomatic mission — a direct rebuke of U.S. actions and a rare public display of loyalty toward the older Castro generation as the Díaz-Canel government struggles to contain both the energy collapse and the political fallout from Washington’s indictment of the 94-year-old former president.
The indictment was the latest in a series of escalations. Since January 2026, when Washington seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — a key Cuban ally — the Trump administration has steadily tightened the screws on Havana. Washington announced it would sanction any country selling oil to Cuba, forcing Mexico to halt its exports. A Russian oil tanker carrying 100,000 tonnes of crude arrived in Cuba on March 30, buying the government breathing room, but that assistance has proven insufficient against the scale of the shortfall. An oil refinery fire in Havana added to the chaos in the weeks that followed.
The humanitarian situation inside Cuba has deteriorated to crisis levels. Rolling blackouts stretch across entire neighborhoods. In mid-May, Cuba’s energy minister publicly acknowledged the island had completely run out of diesel and fuel oil. Residents in several Havana districts were filmed gathering around fires in the streets as outages cut off power for hours each day. The U.S. blockade — which Cuba and its allies characterize as a violations of sovereignty — has prevented any external fuel shipments from reaching the island in meaningful quantities.
Argentina and Chile have announced they are providing humanitarian aid to Cuba, becoming the first Latin American governments to do so in this crisis — a significant diplomatic break from Washington’s posture. Chile, which had previously backed Havana, was forced to suspend aid in March under U.S. pressure but has since rejoined the effort alongside Argentina. China and Russia have both maintained support for the Cuban government throughout the crisis.
Despite the public show of loyalty, analysts say the Díaz-Canel government is under enormous internal strain. The May 22 protests were simultaneous: one crowd at the U.S. embassy in support of Raúl Castro, and another in the streets of Havana expressing anger at the ongoing blackouts and shortages. The duality reflects a population simultaneously proud and desperate — furious at Washington but increasingly frustrated with their own government’s inability to deliver basic services.
Ecuador expelled Cuba’s ambassador in February in compliance with U.S. demands. Nicaragua, which had offered visa-free entry to Cubans, cancelled the policy under similar pressure.
Washington has demanded the resignation of President Miguel Díaz-Canel and stated it expects, in Trump’s words, “to have the honour of taking Cuba.” The Trump administration has threatened military action against Cuba following its escalating confrontation with Iran, raising the prospect of a two-front American escalation across Latin America within weeks of each other.
Diego Vargas, Media Hook
