The Cuban singer Waldo Mendoza experienced one of those moments that can only happen in Cuba this Monday, when during a concert in the community of Paraguay, in the province of Guantánamo, the power went out.
But far from stopping the show, the audience and the artist continued to sing "a capella," illuminated by cell phones and the energy of an audience that, despite the endless blackouts, refuses to give up on music.
"We lost power, and that made it even more beautiful because we all did it from the heart," Waldo wrote on his social media, where he expressed gratitude to the neighbors for their warm welcome to him and the other artists participating in the cultural event.
The presentation was part of the International Chocolate with Coffee Festival, which is celebrating its ninth edition from November 30 to December 3. This event aims to keep the cultural life of Guantanamo alive amidst the energy chaos and economic crisis the country is facing.
This Monday saw another day of widespread blackouts, with a deficit exceeding 2,000 megawatts, leaving millions of Cubans without electricity for almost 24 hours a day.
The National Electric System collapsed again due to breakdowns, simultaneous maintenance, a lack of fuel, and solar generation unable to compensate for the thermal drop. Just on the previous day, the peak impact reached 2,105 MW, forcing the disconnection of more than half of the country for several consecutive hours.
The Felton and Renté thermoelectric plants continue to have malfunctioning units, while other plants such as Mariel, Santa Cruz, Cienfuegos, and Nuevitas remain under maintenance. More than 100 distributed generation plants are shut down due to a lack of fuel, and others cannot operate due to a shortage of lubricants.
In Havana, large areas remained without electricity throughout the day, with entire blocks dark due to "emergency" measures and unable to follow the announced schedule.
Waldo Mendoza, one of the most recognized romantic voices in Cuba, is well acquainted with the public's affection and the country's ups and downs. With a career that began in Tumbao Habana, awards such as the Adolfo Guzmán Popularity Award (2007) and the Cubadisco 2013 for his DVD Concierto Hojas del Alma, the artist has successfully earned a place in the hearts of several generations.
Filed under:
