Cuba in Darkness: Regime Imposes 72-Hour Blackouts in the 21st Century

The measure reflects a lack of investment and corruption, directly affecting the quality of life of Cubans.

Apagones en Cuba (imagen de referencia) © Facebook / Raúl Navarro González
Blackouts in Cuba (reference image)Photo © Facebook / Raúl Navarro González

The Cuban government has warned that blackouts lasting up to 72 hours will be part of its new electrical contingency strategy, according to the recently approved Decree-Law.

The measure seeks to justify the inability of the energy system to meet demand and highlights the alarming deterioration of national infrastructure in the 21st century.

The decree, presented as a response to the energy crisis affecting the country, will allow for the planning of prolonged blackouts with the purported intention of maintaining the balance of the electrical system.

However, for many Cubans, this decision is nothing more than another reminder of the institutional collapse that suffocates the nation.

The approval of this legal framework comes at a time when the population is facing a critical situation marked by shortages of food, drinking water, medicine, and inadequate basic services.

Power outages, which were once seen as a temporary consequence of the crisis, are now becoming institutionalized as a state policy, severely impacting daily life and economic activities.

Energy experts have pointed out that the collapse of the electrical system is not solely due to external factors, such as the lack of fuels, but also a result of years without investment in this sector, along with corruption and negligence in maintaining the infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the government assures that the measures are temporary and necessary to "guarantee the stability of the country."

On social media, criticism has been swift. Cubans both on and off the island are questioning the legitimacy of a government that, rather than seeking structural solutions, imposes excessive sacrifices on a population that is already living on the edge. The blackout is not only electrical, but also moral and social.

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