Amid the energy chaos that keeps millions of Cubans on edge, the Electric Union (UNE) has once again issued an official message whose wording is as confusing as it is revealing of the Cuban regime's systematic attempt to disguise the truth with empty phrases and meaningless technical jargon.
The most recent statement —published on social media by UNE— outlines a work day of the general director of the entity, engineer Alfredo López Valdés, at the Máximo Gómez Thermal Power Plant in Mariel.
According to the publication, during the meeting they assessed "the progress in the maintenance work being carried out to resolve the breakdown of unit #6 of the plant," a phrase that, due to its redundancy and ambiguity, does not provide any concrete information.
The phrase "maintenance work to resolve breakdowns" is, in itself, a technical jargon that seems more aimed at obscuring than explaining.
Is this about scheduled maintenance or emergency repairs? Are there actual advancements, or is it just another way to buy time in front of a population exhausted by power outages? The statement does not clarify this, nor does it provide dates, figures, or details that would allow for an assessment of the real state of the national electrical system.
Technically, the statement is not only inaccurate but also contradictory. A breakdown is a failure or rupture that requires repair, while maintenance is a set of preventive or scheduled actions carried out to ensure the proper functioning of a facility, even while it is operating or during planned pauses.
Using "maintenance" as a synonym for "repair" is not only incorrect but also contributes to misinformation.
The phrase "maintenance work to resolve breakdowns" does not explain anything. Rather, it obscures. There are no specific details about the type of breakdown, the estimated time for repairs, or the impact on electricity generation. It is also not disclosed whether the affected unit will be resynchronized soon or if it will remain out of service indefinitely, as has occurred on multiple recent occasions.
This type of vague language has become a constant in the institutional communication of UNE and other state entities, which systematically evade speaking clearly about the country's energy collapse and
Far from providing information, the statements seem written to deter questions, calm tensions, and simulate control, when daily reality shows the exact opposite: blackouts of up to 20 hours, thermoelectric plants out of service for weeks or months, scheduled maintenance lasting months that collapses within hours, and promises that are never fulfilled.
In parallel, as public discontent and criticism grow on social media, the official discourse clings to worn-out formulas like the "blockade", the "collective commitment," or the "will for recovery," without taking responsibility for the chronic deterioration of the electrical system, the result of decades of underinvestment, mismanagement, and reliance on outdated technologies.
The absurdity of the last post from the UNE ultimately summarizes the communication strategy of the Cuban regime in response to the electricity crisis: a mix of confusion, deliberate omissions, and empty propaganda, aimed not at clarifying the situation, but at bewildering the citizens who are suffering the consequences.
The lack of transparency, the manipulative use of language, and the complete disconnection from the reality experienced by citizens have become hallmarks of the UNE. The outcome is the same as always: Cubans are left without power, without clear information, and without answers.
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