A Cuban decided to approach the blackouts in his own way, and what he showcased on social media has sparked mixed reactions among those, both inside and outside the island, who recognize an increasingly desperate reality.
In a video posted on Facebook by the user Gilberto Alain Bello Linares, he is seen feeding an intense makeshift fire with whatever he finds around: a bamboo chair, a trash can, and even a log from a tree. "Suffer, Renté. Suffer, Guiteras. Look at that fire over there, fierce... look at how I have secured the raw material," he comments while showcasing what he has.
The expression directly refers to the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant in Matanzas, the most powerful generating plant in the country, whose chimney has given rise to this popular Cuban saying used to describe something that produces a lot of smoke without real results.
It also mentions Renté, the popular name for the Antonio Maceo Thermoelectric Power Plant in Santiago de Cuba, the other emblematic facility of the national electrical system and also one of the most problematic.
Both thermoelectric plants are the most visible symbol of the energy collapse that Cuba is experiencing in 2026. The videos of Cubans cooking with firewood are multiplying on social media, a reflection of a crisis that forces families to look for alternatives to secure materials for cooking, from charcoal to firewood.
But the scene shared by Gilberto Alain Bello Linares, which mixes humor, resignation, and stark reality, reflects the daily life of many Cubans who, faced with a lack of electricity and fuel, resort to any means to cook or simply survive. Amid laughter and phrases laden with irony, the man extends an invitation that sums up the sentiment of many: “Whoever wants to cook, come on over.”
Beyond the humorous tone, the video reveals a reality marked by precariousness. The need to burn furniture or waste to start a fire is not an isolated case, but rather a practice that is becoming increasingly common amid the energy crisis hitting the country.
"Here, not a single mosquito will be left unharmed either," he says as the flames grow, in an image that, for many, symbolizes not only the ingenuity of the Cuban people but also the level of deterioration of living conditions on the island.
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