Cuban artist and activist Kiriam Gutiérrez Pérez reported that she has been without electricity or water in her home in Havana, Cuba, for 96 hours.
In a brief post on her Facebook profile, this well-known advocate for LGBTIQA+ rights described the situation she is facing following Hurricane Rafael, which has worsened the energy crisis on the island.
"The food we had spoiled. It is very difficult when there are elderly people and children who need specific foods, and when health depends on hygiene and water to clean the affected areas. I feel ashamed in the face of much worse situations that my people endure, but this is my situation, and I carry it like a knot in my soul," Gutiérrez wrote.
In her message, she also reflected personally: “Before, I only feared aging in Cuba; now I am convinced that living and growing here is also a nightmare. It’s not just the hurricane, it’s the disaster we have been experiencing for many years,” she stated.
Gutiérrez, who has faced discrimination from State Security due to his activism and sexual orientation, is responsible for his mother, an elderly woman who depends on his care.
In Havana, Hurricane Rafael, with winds of up to 175 km/h, caused heavy rains, flooding in low-lying areas, collapses of deteriorated structures, and forced the evacuation of thousands of people.
The strong winds from the cyclone, which swept through the western part of the island on November 6, also caused a disruption to the National Electric System (SEN) and the collapse of six high-tension towers on the Havana-Artemisa highway, further complicating the restoration of electrical service in the country.
Electricity supply is gradually reaching homes in Havana, as technicians from the Electric Company assess the country's fragile infrastructure for its restoration.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: