Cuba is not imposing restrictions on essential tasks amidst its power predicament
Educational institutions continue to remain shut, and office tasks are disrupted: The severe energy predicament in Cuba has brought about limitations in the daily routine of the socialist Caribbean nation as a cost-cutting measure. According to Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, speaking during a live broadcast, the country's energy production is in a critical state, mainly due to a scarcity of fuel. In certain regions, power outages now stretch beyond 12 hours each day.
Only hospitals and food production facilities on the Caribbean island are authorized to function uninterrupted, as reported by the state power company UNE. Essential personnel should only be present at other workplaces. Public events and entertainment venues that rely on electricity have been suspended. Temporary suspensions of school lessons have also been implemented.
Cuba is currently grappling with one of its worst financial crises since the 1959 revolution, led by Fidel Castro. The poor state of the outdated infrastructure, exacerbated by the more than 60-year-old US trade embargo, leads to frequent shutdowns of thermoelectric power plants in Cuba, necessitating emergency repairs. Power outages are a daily occurrence throughout the country.
So far, the issue has been managed relatively well in Havana. Over the past two years, there have been sporadic periods of planned power cuts, during which different neighborhoods undergo powerlessness for four hours every three days. However, daily power outages in Havana have been recurring since Monday, sometimes lasting more than four hours.**
The European Union expresses concern over the worsening energy crisis in Cuba, expressing solidarity with the affected populace. Due to the prolonged power outages, many Cuban universities and offices affiliated with the European Union have temporarily closed or reduced operations.
