An Italian tourist became the viral face of the Cuban energy crisis after starring in a 29-second video in which he describes the situation as "The embarrassment of embarrassment," following a 25-hour blackout on the island.
The clip, posted on Facebook by user Luli Hernandez, has garnered nearly 780,000 views, over 17,000 likes, and 803 comments, showcasing its viral reach.
Hernandez described the scene with a mix of humor and resignation: "My guy can't take it anymore, I'm leaving, I don't want to be here, he's endured enough, he looks like a happy child and thanks God because they turned the power back on."
And he closed his post with a plea: "God help my country, I beg you, we need you."
The short clip ended humorously: "Thank you, sir," said the Italian, bringing his hands together and looking up to the sky, a gesture of relief after the long blackout.
The video reflects a reality that Cubans have been living daily for months. The National Electroenergetic System (SEN) has collapsed seven times in the last 18 months, with two general blackouts in a single week this month: the first on the 16th, which lasted 29 hours and 29 minutes, and the second on the 22nd, when the failure of Unit 6 at the 10 de Octubre thermoelectric plant in Nuevitas, Camagüey, left over 90% of Havana without electricity.
In this regard, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Argelio Jesús Abad Vigoa, acknowledged that Cuba has gone three months without receiving supplies of diesel, fuel oil, gasoline, and liquefied petroleum gas, describing the situation as the most complex the National Electricity System has faced.
This situation affects everyone. For example, the journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández reported outages of up to 40 continuous hours in the municipality of Colón, Matanzas, and described the experience as follows: "One becomes a seeker of the crumbs of electricity that are given to you."
The Havana resident Arián Alejandro summed up the country’s mood: "One walks through the streets and there is a level of sadness, a tremendous level of desolation."
When asked about hunger, he replied straightforwardly: "Denying it wouldn't make sense." He added: "I feel that the Cuban has dimmed."
The crisis has also impacted tourism. In January 2026, Cuba welcomed 184,833 international visitors, a 5.9% decrease compared to the previous year, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information.
Hotel occupancy hovers around 20%, Air Canada has suspended operations until May, and Russia has sent empty planes to repatriate stranded tourists. Argentina, Ireland, Canada, and the United Kingdom have issued travel warnings for the island.
The energy crisis is collapsing Cuban tourism at a particularly sensitive time, with a decline in tourism exacerbated by the reduction of flights due to the lack of fuel affecting air operations to the island.
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