Approximately one-third of Cuba continues to endure power outages.
After around a century of blackout, approximately 70% of the power connections in Cuba have been reestablished, as per official reports. However, certain areas such as Guantánamo's eastern province, badly hit by Hurricane "Oscar," are still without power.
The fatalities caused by the storm in Cuba's communist regime have climbed to seven, including a five-year-old kid. Officials from the party and state are reportedly making their way to the worst-affected regions of the island, which is grappling with one of its most severe economic crises since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.
Frustration among the affected surges
The entire power grid, in a pitiful state, crumbled on Friday, plunging the country into complete darkness. Attempts to restart the grid were unsuccessful due to its antiquated nature. Cuba has endured regular power outages for years, lasting over twelve hours in some places due to the aged infrastructure.
The authoritative government accuses the more than 60-year-old US embargo and other sanctions for the country's inability to procure enough fuel and spare parts. Cuban economist Pedro Monreal criticized on X that the state invests excessively in the tourism sector compared to meager investments in the neglected infrastructure, even with low visitor numbers.
Without power, numerous Cuban households also lack running water, as electricity-driven pumps are essential for this purpose. Moreover, the perishable food in their refrigerators or freezers spoils.
The resentment over the hard living conditions has led to several small protests in recent days at various locations. President Miguel Díaz-Canel referred to drunken individuals acting inappropriately. He assured that peace will be maintained.
Prolonged power outages have historically prompted demonstrations, with some participants demanding freedom or a reform of the system. Hundreds of people in Cuba have been incarcerated for participating in peaceful protests, including German citizen Luis Frómeta Compte.
The government's focus on the tourism sector, criticized for underinvestment in infrastructure, exacerbates the electricity supply issues, affecting essential services like water and food preservation. The prolonged blackout also increases the likelihood of social unrest, with past outages often leading to protests calling for system reform or freedom.
