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A new invasion of sargassum is affecting the Jaruco River in the province of Mayabeque, according to images shared by the magazine Juventud Técnica on its Facebook page.
"Invasion of sargassum in the Jaruco River in the province of Mayabeque," the outlet reported, alongside several photographs showing a layer of algae covering the river's surface and accumulating around boats docked along its banks.
The images, taken by M. Sc. Leslie Moleiro León, showcase the magnitude of the phenomenon in an area where fishing boats and riverside settlements converge.
The presence of algae in that area is not an isolated incident. In October 2025, the Energás Jaruco plant went offline, and the Cuban Electric Union (UNE) attributed the incident to the presence of sargassum in the intake channel of one of its pumps. That episode was presented as yet another unusual explanation that authorities often provide for failures in the National Electric System, alongside thunder, electrical discharges, or local storms.
Beyond that version, the case revealed the fragility of Cuba's energy facilities and the lack of maintenance and basic infrastructure to prevent foreseeable incidents in a coastal environment. The recurrence of the phenomenon in the same municipality reinforces the perception of neglect and a lack of environmental management.
In other Caribbean countries, the proliferation of sargassum has caused impacts on ecosystems and coastal services, but it has also spurred control and cleanup programs. In Cuba, reports on the issue are sporadic, and no public measures for monitoring or management are known.
So far, the authorities have not provided information about this new invasion of sargassum in the Jaruco River, a site that is once again facing an environmental issue that combines a lack of foresight with the deterioration of key infrastructures.
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