Cuba has recently faced one of its most challenging weeks in years, as a nationwide blackout plunged around 10 million citizens into days of darkness. The power crisis exposed the fragility of the country’s energy infrastructure, which struggled to recover as Hurricane Oscar tore through the northeastern coast. Amid the devastation, Cuban communities grappled with resource shortages, growing frustrations, and bleak expectations for the future.
Yusely Perez, a resident of Havana, adapted to a new, uncomfortable routine as the blackout extended into its fourth day. In her neighborhood, the regular deliveries of liquified gas canisters had already ceased for over two months, leaving her family without access to their primary cooking fuel. As the blackout took hold, Yusely and her husband scoured the streets for firewood.
“We had to collect firewood wherever we found it on the street. Thankfully it was dry enough to cook with,” she explained, gesturing toward a pot of slowly frying yucca chips. “We’ve gone two days without eating.” Yusely’s experience underscores the scarcity and desperation many Cubans now face as they attempt to meet basic needs under extraordinary pressure.
On Sunday, as the crisis persisted, Vicente de la O Levy, Cuba’s energy and mines minister, addressed the nation, placing much of the blame on the longstanding U.S. economic embargo. According to Levy, the embargo restricts Cuba’s ability to acquire new parts to update the aging energy grid, limits access to fuel, and even complicates obtaining credit in the international banking system.
In response, the U.S. State Department shifted the blame back onto the Cuban government, arguing that the roots of the island’s energy production issues lie in mismanagement rather than external restrictions. This exchange highlights the tense and intricate history between the two nations, with each side pointing fingers as Cuban citizens endure worsening conditions.
However, shortly after Levy’s assurance that normal service would be restored, the island experienced yet another total grid failure — the fourth collapse within a mere 48 hours. The breakdown left Habaneros huddled in the shadows, their faces illuminated only by the fading glow of their mobile phones.
For some, the crisis was an opportunity to express frustrations that had long been simmering. Victor, a restaurant worker in Havana, was one of many residents who openly criticized the authorities. “The people who run this country are the ones who have all the answers,” he said, voicing skepticism about the government’s priorities. Victor particularly questioned the state’s investment in Cuba’s tourism industry rather than critical infrastructure.
“They’ve built so many hotels in the past few years. Everyone knows that a hotel doesn’t cost a couple of bucks. It costs 300 or 400 million dollars. So why is our energy infrastructure collapsing?” For him, the blackout underscored what he perceives as the misallocation of the country’s limited resources, a sentiment shared by many residents.
In response to the growing discontent, President Miguel Diaz-Canel appeared on state television, donned in the olive-green fatigues of the Cuban Revolution, a clear symbol of strength and resilience. Directly addressing the public, he warned against any attempts to protest, stating that the government would not “tolerate” vandalism or disruptions to the social order. His statements evoked memories of July 2021 when widespread protests erupted following a series of blackouts, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
For economist Ricardo Torres, an expert on Cuba at the American University in Washington, D.C., Cuba’s crisis reflects years of neglect and an underfunded infrastructure that can no longer keep pace with demand. “When we talk about energy infrastructure, that refers to both generation and distribution or transmission. In every step, a lot of investment is needed,” Torres explained.
Electricity production in Cuba currently meets only 60-70% of the nation’s demand. This shortfall has profound consequences for the economy, with significant repercussions on the daily lives of ordinary citizens. Cuban government data shows a nearly 25% decrease in electricity production since 2019, revealing a troubling downward trend with no sign of reversal.
“It’s important to understand that last week’s problem in the energy grid isn’t something that happens overnight,” Torres added. His remarks reflect a general consensus among economists that Cuba’s struggles with energy production are both cumulative and complex, stemming from years of insufficient investment, operational challenges, and exacerbated by external economic pressures.
In the village of Aguacate, outside Havana, Marbeyis Aguilera, a 28-year-old mother of three, has adapted to an existence without reliable electricity. Unlike Havana residents who experienced a temporary blackout, communities like Aguacate live under a “normal” where power outages are the status quo.
“We’ve had no power for six days,” Marbeyis noted, brewing coffee over a makeshift charcoal stove inside her breeze-block home. Her gas stove sits unused as she juggles cooking, child-rearing, and a lack of basic resources. Food, electricity, and even water are becoming scarce as Aguacate residents struggle to sustain their families.
For Marbeyis and her neighbors, the blackout magnifies existing challenges. Her husband, a manual laborer, cannot work without electricity, making it difficult for the family to earn a living. The Cuban government initially intended to call state workers back to their jobs by Thursday, but in an effort to prevent further strain on the grid, officials postponed all non-essential work and education until the following week.
“It’s especially hard on the children because when they say I want this or that, we have nothing to give them,” Marbeyis said, her voice breaking. Her story mirrors the challenges faced by many Cubans as they navigate a harsh reality far removed from the country’s aspirations of progress.
As Cuban citizens coped with the blackout’s challenges, nature dealt a further blow with Hurricane Oscar. The storm made landfall along the northeastern coast, bringing with it torrential rains, high winds, and a trail of destruction. Homes lost roofs, streets flooded, and the nation’s already struggling infrastructure took another hit.
With the immediate storm threat now over, Cuban residents remain on edge, recognizing that their vulnerable energy grid could collapse once more. Though the government has made efforts to shore up certain power stations, the rapid succession of the blackout and the hurricane has exposed the fragility of the entire system.
The sight of Cubans gathering firewood and using charcoal to cook in 2023 evokes a powerful image, harking back to the extreme poverty of the pre-revolutionary era. For many, the resurgence of such practices is a painful reminder of the struggles that preceded Cuba’s revolutionary government and is, therefore, a potent symbol of disillusionment.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic situation in Cuba has become increasingly dire. Widespread shortages of food, medicine, and other essential goods have combined with the prolonged power cuts to create a crisis that now feels intractable. Once a nation that prided itself on its resilience in the face of adversity, Cuba now finds itself facing unprecedented hardship.
The Cuban government is under growing pressure to address the root causes of the current crisis and implement meaningful changes. Economists argue that without substantial investment in energy infrastructure, the blackouts will continue, and living standards will deteriorate. However, the country’s limited access to foreign capital and ongoing U.S. sanctions make such investments difficult to secure.
President Diaz-Canel’s stern warning against protests has temporarily kept discontent at bay, but the underlying issues remain unresolved. Meanwhile, many Cubans wonder why state resources are invested in tourism rather than public infrastructure, which has fueled skepticism about the government’s priorities.
For millions across Cuba, living with an unreliable power supply, scarce food, and damaged infrastructure is now a part of everyday life. As the government struggles to provide solutions, communities like Aguacate continue to adjust to a “new normal” characterized by frequent blackouts, food shortages, and precarious living conditions.
For Yusely Perez, Victor, Marbeyis Aguilera, and countless others, the question remains: How much longer can Cubans endure these hardships, and what steps will the government take to prevent the crisis from worsening? The events of this past week have laid bare the deep structural issues facing Cuba, with many fearing that, without significant reform, the next blackout may be just around the corner.
