Mahily (@mahily2000), a young Cuban residing in the United States who is undergoing cancer treatment, posted a video on TikTok last Tuesday in which she breaks down in tears while describing what her mother conveys to her each time they manage to talk on the phone from Cuba.
In the video, Mahily explains that she usually avoids political topics because "we all know the situation that comes with talking about political issues regarding Cuba," but the reality her family lives in on the island overwhelms her emotionally.
"Every time I talk to my mom on the phone, it's like every now and then: there’s no water, they don’t have, they don’t have, they don’t have, the neighbor died, the other neighbor's house fell down. It's terrible what is happening, and there's nothing we can do here," she recounts through sobs.
The young woman points out that her loved ones urge her to focus on her health, but that "on the other side of the screen, there are many concerns, not just worries about my health, but concerns for my mom, for the people in Cuba."
One of the most heartbreaking moments of the video is when she describes anxiously waiting for her mother to call and say, “I have power now, it hasn’t gone out for three days,” a phrase that highlights how blackouts on the island extend for consecutive days.
This video has a direct background: just a week prior, Mahily had already broken down in tears when talking about not being able to travel to Cuba to see her mother due to her health condition. The new testimony delves deeper into that pain, now focused on the material conditions her family endures: without water, without electricity, with neighbors dying and houses collapsing.
What Mahily describes reflects an unprecedented electrical crisis in Cuba during June 2026, with a generation deficit of nearly 2,000 MW against a demand of about 3,000 MW, causing blackouts that affect between 65% and 68% of the country during peak hours.
The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest in Cuba, has once again gone offline in the national electrical system due to a malfunction, with seven generating units out of service, further worsening the situation.
The energy crisis is dragging down the water supply: 87% of Cuban aqueducts depend on the electrical system, which means that power outages also disrupt pumping. About 2.7 million Cubans do not have regular access to drinking water, and around 10 million experience intermittent supply.
This is compounded by the deterioration of the housing stock. In Havana, around 1,000 buildings collapse each year, and by the end of 2025, there were more than 185,000 properties in poor condition.
The power outages also cut off internet and phone services, leaving families disconnected for hours or days and worsening the anguish of Cubans abroad who, like Mahily, cannot call or travel to be with their loved ones.
The as a "perfect storm" due to economic isolation, issues with international payments, the summer heat, and hurricane season. Mahily, for her part, closes her video with a question that summarizes the feelings of thousands of separated families: "How much longer will this last?"
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