Amid the energy crisis that has left Cuba in the grip of endless blackouts and a severe fuel shortage, the government announced a measure that could represent a troubling shift, as workers will be able to access solar modules, while new "facilities" are opened for those who generate electricity to sell it even to third parties.
The explanation was provided by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, during an appearance on the official program Mesa Redonda, where he stated that the regime “was not there to provide justifications,” but rather to inform about measures to address the “acute fuel shortages” in the country.
“We are not here to make excuses. We want to minimize the impact on the Cuban population”, he affirmed.
However, the announcement comes at a time when thousands of Cuban families are trapped in a desperate routine, enduring nights without electricity, spoiled food, lack of water, and a country practically paralyzed by the collapse of the electrical system.
They will be able to sell energy to companies and institutions
One of the most striking points of the hearing was that, according to Pérez-Oliva Fraga, for the first time entities and individuals generating electricity from renewable sources will be allowed to sell it directly to other consumers, not just to the Unión Eléctrica.
"It became possible for these entities or individuals that generate electricity to sell the energy they produce directly to third parties," he explained.
According to the leader, those third parties can be companies, industries, or institutions with the capacity to purchase the electricity produced.
The measure was presented as part of the “incentives” to increase the installation of renewable sources, both in institutions and businesses as well as in households. However, the announcement also reveals an uncomfortable reality. In a country where the state salary barely suffices for survival, electricity is starting to shape up as a privilege reserved for those who can afford solar panels and backup systems.
Secretism and Repeated Discourse
During the intervention, Pérez-Oliva Fraga also emphasized that the Government acknowledges internal deficiencies and is not merely trying to justify itself with the U.S. embargo.
"We do not want to justify ourselves with the blockade; there is a group of internal deficiencies," he noted.
Nonetheless, he mentioned the key factor of the halt in oil shipments from Venezuela following Nicolás Maduro's capture, and reiterated that “there are things that cannot be explained publicly,” appealing to the argument of secrecy for external surveillance reasons.
Filed under: