A young woman from the Polytechnic Center of Petroleum named Lisset Mirel stated on April 4, at an official event held at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, that Cuban scientists have managed to overcome each of the issues imposed by the U.S. embargo on the country's development.
The statement was made during the Youth Forum against the Blockade organized as part of the 64th anniversary of the Union of Young Communists (UJC), chaired by the first secretary of that organization, Meyvis Estévez Echevarría, and the Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy.
"We have already been able to closely witness how the blockade can affect the country's development, but we have also seen how our scientists, our knowledge, and our universities, together with research centers and production centers, have managed to overcome one by one the challenges we have had to face due to the blockade," said Lisset Mirel to those present.
The contrast between those words and the reality experienced by millions of Cubans could not be more stark.
In the same week that this speech was delivered, Cuba recorded daily electricity generation deficits exceeding 1,700 MW, with power outages lasting up to 18 hours in several provinces.
On Thursday, a day before today, the electricity availability was only 1,300 MW compared to a demand of 2,380 MW, affecting 53% of the national territory.
The National Electroenergetic System has experienced at least six total collapses in 18 months, the most recent on March 22nd.
The minister De la O Levy himself acknowledged at the forum that Cuba has over 1,300 MW installed in solar panels, but the actual generation is only 400 MW due to a lack of batteries.
The causes of the Cuban energy crisis are structural and predate any recent tightening of sanctions: before the latest measures from Washington, Cuba was already producing only 40% of the crude oil it needed, a dependence that cannot be solely attributed to the embargo.
The accumulated discomfort has overflowed the channels that the regime tries to control with actions like this forum. In January 2026, there were 953 protests and 395 direct challenges to the State, the highest monthly figure in history according to the Cuban Conflict Observatory.
In March, residents of Morón attacked the municipal headquarters of the Communist Party with stones and fire, and clanging pots and pans resonated in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and other cities.
The event on April 4 is part of a propaganda campaign that the regime has intensified in recent weeks: on April 2, the UJC organized an "Anti-Imperialist Youth Parade" in Havana; on March 31, Cuban children staged trials against the United States during state-organized events.
In the forum, a youth expedition was also announced, which will travel through communities and businesses in each province from today until April 23 to "explain" to the population how the energy transition in Cuba is progressing.
This Friday, Díaz-Canel accused the US government before the UN of , without mentioning the responsibility of the internal management for the crisis the country is experiencing.
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