While millions of Cubans spend entire nights without electricity, uncertain of when the power will return or how to preserve food and protect their children from the heat, state television broadcasts images each weekend of military maneuvers, controlled explosions, and troops in combat training.
The latest report from the Canal Caribe confirmed the completion of the final phase of a combat and political preparation competition between the military regions of Mayabeque and Artemisa. This exercise included practical shooting, land artillery, military intelligence, drone usage, and explosive charge detonations, under the premise of responding to a scenario of "pressure and aggression from the U.S. government towards Cuba."
The event, presided over by the head of the Western Army, Major General Ernest Feijóo Eiro, was part of the activities for National Defense Day and aimed, according to the official report, to enhance the cohesion and readiness of officers and soldiers in the face of "different scenarios." The images released starkly contrast with daily life in the country's neighborhoods.
That same weekend, the Electric Company of Havana warned that, unless the availability of the National Electric System improved, blackouts for "energy contingency" could be implemented without a scheduled timing.
The generation deficit exceeded 1,900 MW during peak hours, while dozens of thermoelectric units remained out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance.
In provinces like Santiago de Cuba, the crisis has ceased to be a statistic. Residents of the Altamira neighborhood reported more than three consecutive days without electricity.
A mother, with a baby just four months old, summed up the situation: unbearable heat, spoiled food, and no concrete response from the authorities. "You can't live like this," she said.
Everything is happening amid an increasingly severe energy isolation. Images from the maritime monitoring system VesselFinder show Cuba virtually excluded from oil routes in the Caribbean, surrounded by tankers heading to other countries while the Island remains on the sidelines. According to analyses cited by the Financial Times, current reserves barely last for 15 to 20 days.
Pressure increased following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to sign an executive order imposing tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba. “It doesn't have to be a humanitarian crisis”, Trump said this weekend. “They could come to us and we would make a deal. That way, Cuba would be free again”.
From Havana, Miguel Díaz-Canel responded by accusing Washington of attempting a "total suffocation" and asserted that the regime is preparing to resist even if the restrictions intensify.
The official narrative insists on defense, discipline, and unity, while the country faces power outages of over 20 hours, paralyzed transportation, and hospitals operating at their limits.
For many Cubans, the question is no longer who the country is preparing against, but rather why the focus remains on military strength when everyday life is deteriorating.
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