The Cuban capital and much of the Caribbean island have been paralyzed by an unprecedented power outage that has left nearly 10 million people without access to basic services. The state-owned electricity company Unión Eléctrica (UNE) announced a “total shutdown“ of the national system, turning everyday life in Havana into a real fight for survival. Residents of the metropolis are facing a lack of running water, intermittent mobile and internet networks, the suspension of public transport and a critical shortage of food.
Life under absolute regime
Due to the lack of power for pumping stations, water distribution in residential areas has been completely suspended, forcing citizens to take to the streets with barrels and buckets in search of water carriers. The situation is further complicated by the summer heat and the inability to store perishable products. With garbage trucks running out of diesel, Havana's streets quickly became clogged with waste, forcing desperate residents to burn it on site.
The authorities were forced to close schools, universities and all non-essential government offices. Hospitals are operating only as a last resort using emergency generators, and tens of thousands of planned surgeries have been postponed indefinitely.
The Politics Behind the Darkness
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has directly blamed the US administration for the collapse, calling the situation a "genocidal energy blockade". The tough sanctions imposed by Washington at the beginning of the year have cut off crude oil supplies from traditional allies such as Venezuela and Mexico. Since January, only one Russian tanker has docked on the island, with fuel supplies now completely depleted.
For its part, the US State Department has rejected the accusations and said that the crisis is due to decades of mismanagement, a lack of investment in outdated Soviet infrastructure, and the communist government's reluctance to implement real economic and political reforms.
Tensions Escalate
Although the authorities have managed to partially restore about 30% of the power supply in key points in Havana - mainly around hospitals - dissatisfaction among the population has reached a boiling point. Spontaneous protests have broken out in several neighborhoods of the capital (such as Mantilla and Regla). Mostly women and young people blocked streets, banged pots and pans (traditional protests casolaso) and chanted slogans demanding the immediate restoration of electricity and water.
The United Nations (UN) has already warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe on the island, as in addition to the energy crisis, the country suffers from acute shortages of essential medicines and food supplies.