Cuba’s beleaguered national power grid collapsed twice in a span of 24 hours, plunging the island into nationwide blackouts and exacerbating the struggles of its 10 million residents. The blackouts, which began on Friday, left most of the island, including the capital Havana, in darkness as authorities scrambled to restore power. By late Saturday, power had been restored to about one-fifth of the population, but the majority of Cubans remained without electricity, compounding the already dire situation caused by shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
The collapse of Cuba’s power grid highlights the severity of the country’s infrastructure issues, made worse by a combination of economic mismanagement, natural disasters, and external factors such as the U.S. trade embargo. The series of events has pushed the island’s residents to the brink, testing their resilience as they face a humanitarian crisis.
The Grid Collapse and Efforts to Restore Power
Lazaro Guerra, Cuba’s top electricity official, addressed the nation on Saturday evening, providing a grim update on the situation. Guerra explained that while the grid operator was working to restore power, the process would be slow to avoid further complications. “I cannot assure you that we will be able to complete linking the system today, but we are estimating that there should be important progress today,” Guerra said during a televised newscast. The uncertainty surrounding the timeline for full restoration added to the growing frustration among citizens, who had already been enduring worsening blackouts for weeks.
Even before the grid collapse, Cuba had been grappling with significant power shortages, with blackouts lasting as long as 10 to 20 hours per day across much of the island. The government had been forced to take drastic measures, sending non-essential state workers home and canceling school for children in an effort to conserve fuel for power generation. The blackouts have been blamed on deteriorating infrastructure, a lack of fuel, and rising demand.
The collapse of one of Cuba’s largest power plants on Friday triggered the first blackout, and by Saturday morning, the grid had failed again, plunging millions back into darkness. The government’s slow response to the crisis has sparked growing unrest among the population, with small protests beginning to emerge in some areas.
Hurricane Oscar Adds to Cuba’s Woes
As if the grid collapse and blackouts weren’t enough, Cuba is now bracing for the impact of Hurricane Oscar, which is expected to graze the northeastern part of the island in the coming days. Strong winds and rain had already begun buffeting parts of the island by Saturday evening, raising concerns that the hurricane could exacerbate the country’s already fragile power situation. Officials warned that the arrival of the hurricane could further delay efforts to restore electricity to the millions still without power.
This isn’t the first time Cuba’s power grid has collapsed due to natural disasters. In September 2022, Hurricane Ian left the entire country without power for several days. Protests erupted in multiple cities, including Havana, as residents voiced their frustration with the government’s slow response. Although authorities eventually restored power, the incident revealed the deep vulnerabilities in Cuba’s energy infrastructure.
The Role of the U.S. Embargo and International Relations
Cuban officials have been quick to blame external factors for the country’s power crisis, particularly the U.S. trade embargo and sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. The embargo has made it difficult for Cuba to acquire the fuel and spare parts needed to maintain and operate its oil-fired power plants. Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio took to social media to denounce those who, in his view, support U.S. aggression. “There are those who sing victory and join the ambition of seeing Cuba on its knees with the interruption of the electrical system,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). “They support the ruthless U.S. aggression. We respond with the talent and commitment of our (grid) workers and executives.”
However, the U.S. government has denied any involvement in the grid collapse, attributing Cuba’s energy crisis to internal mismanagement. A U.S. State Department official responded to the accusations, saying, “As we have seen over the past few years, Cuba’s economic conditions, stemming from long-term mismanagement of its economic policy and resources, have increased hardships on the Cuban people. The United States obviously is not to blame for today’s blackout on the island, or the overall energy situation in Cuba.”
While the Cuban government points to external sanctions, the underlying issues within the country’s energy sector are undeniable. Cuba produces very little crude oil and has historically relied on fuel imports from allies such as Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico. However, in recent years, these countries have significantly reduced their oil exports to Cuba. Venezuela, which once provided subsidized fuel to Cuba, slashed its deliveries by half this year, forcing the island to turn to more expensive oil on the spot market. This has only deepened the energy crisis and strained the country’s already limited resources.
Coping with Crisis: The Cuban People’s Resilience
As the blackouts continue and the arrival of Hurricane Oscar looms, the Cuban people find themselves in a familiar situation: struggling to cope with hardship and uncertainty. For many, the resilience required to endure such challenges has become a way of life. Rene Duarte, a 60-year-old resident of Old Havana, took a stroll through the city on a rainy Saturday morning, explaining that he needed some fresh air after a sleepless night in the oppressive heat. “We’re used to taking everything in stride because we have no other choice,” he said.
Despite the ongoing crisis, Havana remained largely quiet on Saturday. However, there were reports of small protests beginning to emerge in some areas. Reuters observed a group of people banging pots and blockading a road in Marianao, a neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital. The protest was short-lived, as police quickly arrived, dispersing the crowd. Such demonstrations are rare in Cuba, where the government maintains tight control over dissent, but they are becoming more frequent as the country’s economic and social conditions continue to deteriorate.
A Long Road to Recovery
Even if the immediate crisis of the grid collapse is resolved, Cuban officials have warned that the electricity shortages will persist. The country’s energy infrastructure is in desperate need of modernization, but without access to sufficient fuel and resources, the government’s ability to address the root causes of the crisis remains limited. As Cuba faces ongoing blackouts, worsening shortages of essential goods, and the threat of another hurricane, its people are once again forced to rely on their resilience to weather the storm.
The situation in Cuba highlights the precarious state of the country’s infrastructure and the growing frustration among its people. With no clear solution in sight, the road to recovery will be long and arduous. For now, the immediate focus remains on restoring power to the millions still without electricity and preparing for the potential impact of Hurricane Oscar. As the island navigates yet another crisis, the resilience of the Cuban people will be tested once again.
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