A Cuban identified as Anita Silveira reported that workers from the Electric Company arrived at her home to cut off her electricity service due to a debt of only five pesos (CUP) and 12 days of overdue payment, despite the fact that she had already settled the bill.
In a video on Facebook, Silveira showed the camera the official disconnection notice, which cites Article 34 of the electrical regulations of Law 1287, and she recounted the incident with anger.
"They came to cut off my electricity because I hadn't paid it on time. Apparently, it's supposed to be paid by the 10th. And today is the 23rd. So, after being 12 days late, they were already here to leave me this notice to cut off my electricity," he detailed.
The most revealing detail of the case is that the woman had already paid the bill through TransferMóvil before the technicians arrived, and she had the confirmation message on her phone.
Even so, the workers showed up ready to carry out the cut without having previously verified the status of the account in the system.
Only when she showed them the digital receipt did they relent, with a terse "oh, sorry, I don’t know, alright, throw that away, throw that away."
The Cuban sums it up with anger: "Just look how desperate they were to bring her down, they didn't even bother to check that it had already been paid!"
The second element that makes the episode even more absurd is the amount itself: five Cuban pesos.
With the first residential rate of 0.40 CUP per kilowatt-hour, that amount corresponds to a consumption of only 12.5 kWh for the entire month, which means less than half a kWh per day.
In other words, if the bill is so low, it's because there was practically no electricity service during that period.
Silveira himself clearly points it out: "Do you know what five Cuban pesos for electricity are? I’ve never had electricity. And they brazenly came to cut it off."
The Cuban regime charges for a service it does not provide and threatens to cut it off over a symbolic debt that has already been settled.
This case is not isolated.
A resident in Havana recently reported bills of over 15,000 pesos in two consecutive months despite not having regular electric service.
In February 2025, a young woman in Manicaragua, Villa Clara, received a bill of 356.25 CUP, when she only had about one hour of electricity every 24 hours.
The context further exacerbates the situation. Cuba is experiencing the worst energy crisis in its recent history, with blackouts in Havana reaching 20-22 hours a day during May 2026.
On May 14, a historic record was registered: 70% of the country without electricity simultaneously.
On May 31, the National Electric System had only 1,170 MW available against a demand of 2,700 MW, resulting in a projected deficit of 1,930 MW.
Silveira, who lives alone with her son, ended the video with a phrase that summarizes the indignation of millions of Cubans: "They want to cut off the electricity for five pesos and a 12-day delay. It’s a lack of respect, man, a mother who lives alone with her son. I never have electricity, and now they come to cut it off. Oh, how lovely!"
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