Activists who have travelled to Cuba in a so-called "aid mission" after millions of citizens lost power have been staying in a five-star hotel with electricity.
Hundreds of left-wing activists from North America and Europe descended upon Havana this weekend for what organisers have dubbed the "Nuestra America Convoy," ostensibly to deliver humanitarian supplies.
Cuba has suffered three major blackouts this month as a US fuel blockade cuts off foreign oil imports, which are required to keep vital power stations running.
Cuba's energy ministry said "a total disconnection of the National Electrical System has occurred", in a statement posted on social media.
Ordinary citizens, of whom there are around 11 million, are enduring power cuts exceeding 20 hours daily.
The socialist delegation arrived over the weekend to meet with the Communist Party officials, with some participants reportedly lodging at the Gran Hotel Bristol Melia Collection, where nightly rates range from $130 to $520.
Footage circulating online shows the hotel illuminated with light, courtesy of an external generator, while the surroundings remain plunged in darkness.
The convoy claims to be protesting American oil sanctions while distributing approximately 20 tonnes of aid.
Cuba has suffered three major blackouts this month as a US fuel blockade cuts off foreign oil imports, which are required to keep vital power stations running
|REUTERS
Rooms in the Gran Hotel Bristol Melia Collection can cost up to $520 per night
|Gran Hotel Bristol Melia Collection
Participating groups include the People's Forum and Code Pink, both of which the US State Department has identified as vectors of Chinese influence.
The People's Forum is linked to Neville Roy Singham, while Code Pink was founded by his wife, Jodie Evans.
Among the prominent figures who have travelled is Hasan Piker, an influential online streamer with 1.6 million Instagram followers, who broadcast from the island on Saturday, boasting a remarkably reliable internet connection while promising to create future "content."
Mr Piker, an ally of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, had previously visited Havana on what has been described as a Beijing-sponsored propaganda trip.
Speaking on an online stream in response to criticism of the five-star hotel stay, Mr Piker said: "The American government makes it illegal for Americans to stay where we want in Cuba. We have to stay in five-star hotels."
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Hassan Piker and Code Pink founder Jodie Evans have spent two days in Havana so far
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Footage circulating online shows the hotel illuminated with light, courtesy of an external generator, while the surroundings remain plunged in darkness
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Also present is Isra Hirsi, the 23-year-old daughter of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
A delegation from the Democratic Socialists of America has joined the expedition as well, while former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and controversial Irish band Kneecap also travelled to Havana.
The convoy was organised by Mariela Castro, daughter of former President Raul Castro, through a nonprofit organisation called Progressive International.
Mr Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro, continues to wield considerable influence behind the scenes in Cuban politics.
Manuel Cuesta Morua, an opposition activist, said the convoy was a "political circus" that was being led by supporters of "a revolution that has deliberately created the worst living conditions".
Cuba has now experienced two major outages in the space of a week and three within the month.
US President Donald Trump imposed an oil blockade on the island after the capture and deposition of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.
He then cut off Venezuelan exports to Cuba and threatened other countries with tariffs if they were to sell them oil.
Venezuela had been Cuba's most valuable and important ally, providing oil on favourable terms.
The US Coast Guard issued another warning to those travelling to Cuba over the weekend: "Entering Cuban territorial seas and returning to the US without the proper permit is illegal.
"Vessels or persons attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully by sea will be stopped and repatriated to their country of origin or the country they departed from."
A spokesman for Progressive International said: "The Nuestra America convoy is a humanitarian mission responding to a documented crisis caused by the intensification of US measures that have disrupted fuel, medicine and basic supplies.
"UN experts have warned these measures pose a ‘grave threat’ to public health, including the functioning of intensive care units and access to essential medicines.
"Our purpose is simple: to bring aid to people who need it and to demonstrate that international solidarity can overcome isolation. While Donald Trump boasts about the crisis his policy has created — even contemplates ‘taking over’ the island — our convoy is focused on something very different: delivering food, medicines and essential supplies to communities facing acute shortages. That is the measure of its legitimacy."