accusing the U.S. embassy in Havana of seeking to stoke a broader anti-government uprising and meddling in Cuba’s internal affairs.

Rallies in protest of oppressive, hours-long blackouts and food shortages erupted in at least five locations across the island on Sunday, including Cuba’s second largest city Santiago, state-run media said.

The U.S. government said on X late on Sunday that it was monitoring the protests and encouraged the Cuban government to “respect the human rights of the protesters and address the legitimate needs of the Cuban people.”