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The Electric Union of Cuba (UNE) released a statement this Tuesday to deny the circulation of a satirical document that pretended to be an official notice from the institution. In this document, power outages were described as a "National Electrical Resistance Test" that Cubans had passed with "regional, continental, and intergalactic standards."
The apocryphal text, which went viral on social media, ironically announced that citizens had completed a “30-hour test without electricity” with “favorable results” and that the authorities had approved the start of a “Phase II: Progressive Trial of 75 Hours Without Electrical Service, which will begin indefinitely.”
The satirical document also included a "40-Hour Advanced Dynamic Test, designed to measure the true moral and revolutionary fiber of the people, until eventually we do not even use electricity, except for prioritized points such as the residences of leaders, high-ranking military units, and the hotel where our valiant ministers stay."
The false text also thanked the "special cooperation of ETECSA in these tests by almost entirely removing internet connectivity," and concluded with "darkness is not a lack, but creative resistance to do more with less."
The UNE described the text as "completely false" and referred to it as "a crude enemy manipulation, designed to sow confusion and discredit the efforts of the State and the Party to ensure electricity service for the people."
The company categorically denied the existence of any such evidence: "There is no 'National Resistance Test' of 30, 35, or 40 hours. The National Electroenergetic System operates under strict technical and human parameters, prioritizing service stability and the protection of the population."
The official statement concluded with a phrase invoking the Castros: "The enemy bets on fatigue and demoralization; we respond with truths, responsibility, and the legacy of Fidel and Raúl."
The denial comes amid an unrelenting electrical crisis in Cuba: this Tuesday, the National Electric System started the day with a mere availability of 1,195 MW against a demand of 2,740 MW, with 1,553 MW affected by six in the morning.
For the nighttime peak this Tuesday, the UNE projected an impact of 1,990 MW, while on Monday, the maximum impact reached 2,010 MW at 10 PM, with service interrupted for 24 hours a day.
In Havana, the power outages reached 20 to 22 hours daily during May 2026, and in some areas, Cubans receive only between one and a half to four hours of electricity per day.
The Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant, one of the most important in the country, went offline on Monday just days after being synchronized, and by 2026 it has already suffered at least nine breakdowns.
This episode adds to a systematic pattern of official denials in response to viral content regarding the energy crisis. Also on Tuesday, the MININT denied rumors about a supposed nationwide curfew starting June 1. In March, the Havana government denied a false statement regarding the activation of "Option Zero" due to an energy collapse, and in February, the government of Las Tunas denied an audio recording about a supposed "national strike" due to a lack of fuel.
The frequency of these retractions reflects the deep distrust of the population towards institutions, as the satirical messages resonate precisely because they depict a reality very close to the daily experiences of millions of Cubans.
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