As dusk falls over Havana, the city is experiencing a third night without electricity, following repeated failures to revive the national power grid. The situation has led to widespread unrest and frustration among residents, who are grappling with long queues for basic necessities like bread and water.
Earlier in the day, many Cubans left their homes in search of food and information, with one resident, Alejandro Hernandez, questioning the point of staying indoors. Although some areas of the island had begun receiving electricity again on Sunday, a collapse in the power supply occurred late in the afternoon, mirroring the pattern of outages experienced over the weekend.
Jokes have turned bitter among the population, with many sarcastically calling for Havana's iconic lighthouse, Morro, to be turned back on, lamenting the significant emigration of over one million people from the island in the last two years. With streets becoming increasingly dangerous—not from violence but due to deteriorating infrastructure—Cubans are facing a stark reality marked by electricity cuts lasting up to 20 hours a day.
The Cuban government is struggling to procure enough fuel for its five main thermoelectric plants, which has resulted in the current power crisis. President Miguel Díaz-Canel attributed the ongoing shortages to the long-standing U.S. embargo, describing it as “the cruellest blockade.” In contrast, economist Pedro Monreal argues that the crisis stems from internal mismanagement rather than external forces, suggesting that the country's economic situation has deteriorated due to poor decision-making.
The crisis deepened when the government advised all nonessential workers to stay home to conserve energy, a move that failed to prevent the grid's collapse last Friday. The primary generating station in Matanzas went offline, leaving many neighborhoods without power, except for those with personal generators. Since then, attempts to stabilize the system have repeatedly failed, leaving Havana and other western regions of Cuba particularly hard-hit.
The current crisis has taken residents by surprise, especially given the government’s historical avoidance of power outages in the capital due to fears of public protests. The last major demonstrations occurred in July 2021, when discontent over power cuts erupted into widespread unrest.
Power outages are especially challenging in a country that struggles to maintain food supplies. With electricity failures, refrigeration becomes impossible, putting perishable items at risk and preventing families from storing their limited rations. Many residents are reaching out to friends and relatives to find places to keep their food safe.
Despite the challenges, the government has made efforts to keep the public informed about the situation. Initial announcements about the power collapse were made through social media, attracting international attention and complicating efforts to revive the tourism industry, which is vital for the economy.
Photographs released by state media featured President Díaz-Canel and his team alongside technicians working to restore power. However, many of the country’s power plants are nearly 50 years old, far exceeding their intended operational lifespan, according to energy expert Jorge Piñon.
Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has called for a transition to renewable energy sources and suggested that the growing private sector should contribute more to the national power supply.
Amidst ongoing frustrations, residents expressed their anger on social media, with many questioning the government's ability to manage the crisis. In the Vedado neighborhood, the streets were nearly deserted on Saturday night, with only a few people hurrying home and a couple of army patrol members lingering nearby. As the nation grapples with this energy crisis, the future of Cuba’s infrastructure and governance remains uncertain.
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