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The Cuban troubadour Ray Fernández, a well-known communist militant and defender of the regime, posted a complaint on his Facebook profile this Friday regarding the blackouts that are affecting Cuba, using a phrase laden with his usual irony: “Fidel is Fidel! Raúl is Raúl! And this blackout is nameless!”, suggesting that the electrical crisis has reached an almost unnameable magnitude — or at least none that he wishes to specify.
The post generated an avalanche of responses from internet users who eagerly took the opportunity to name the blackout without any hesitation: "If it has a name, it’s called Revolution," wrote one. Another was more creative: "It's called Roboilusion." A third, more direct, emphatically stated: "COMMUNISM is the name."
The irony of the post is particularly striking when recalling that Ray Fernández is not exactly a critic of the regime managing the collapsed electrical system. In January 2020, the troubadour publicly declared himself a "proud communist militant", in full view and with seemingly no shame.
That same year, in December, Miguel Díaz-Canel cited on his official Twitter account part of the song “Cuba por la cuerda floja,” by Ray himself, which was interpreted as a sign of symbolic affinity between the troubadour and the leadership.
In August 2020, when the singer Descemer Bueno raised his voice from abroad, Ray Fernández responded with disdain: "how easy it is to show off in the Yuma, buddy." In January 2021, he composed a verse celebrating Culture Minister Alpidio Alonso following the incident where he attacked an independent journalist. And in May of that same year, he spoke strongly against the San Isidro Movement.
Now, with Cuba plunged into its worst recorded electrical crisis, the troubadour discovers that the blackout "has no name." It's a curious exercise in selective amnesia for someone who has been openly supporting the government responsible for that crumbling infrastructure for years.
The reality that drives their complaint is devastating. On May 13, Cuba recorded an electricity deficit of 2,153 MW during peak hours, and three days later 51% of the country was left without power simultaneously. In April, Havana experienced outages lasting more than 15 hours a day, while the eastern provinces reported blackouts of 24 consecutive hours or more.
A netizen, his patience worn thin, offered the troubadour an invitation: "Do you want to see what a real blackout looks like? Come to the east... I assure you, you'll soon have names... oh, and surnames." Power outages in the interior provinces of Cuba have historically been much more severe than those in the capital.
The National Electroenergetic System has collapsed seven times in a year and a half, and in this month of May 2026, 70% of the territory was affected at the same time. The causes are well-known: outdated infrastructure, lack of fuel, and decades of disinvestment — exactly the types of responsibilities that Fernández prefers not to mention.
Another commentator accurately summarized the anguish of those living outside the Island: “Because of things like this, I don't go to Cuba so I don’t get imprisoned: I let out three shouts, they lock me in my house or put me on a plane.” Fidel was Fidel. Raúl was Raúl. And this blackout, although the troubadour refuses to acknowledge it, has a name, a surname, and more than six decades of history.
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