A man was arrested in Unión de Reyes, Matanzas, accused by Cuban authorities of “sabotage” after stealing dielectric oil from a transformer at an electrical substation, an action that affected local residents amid the prolonged blackouts already impacting the area.
The Electric Company of Matanzas reported this Wednesday about the arrest and stated that the individual allegedly extracted the fluid with the intention of profiting from its sale.
According to the entity, law enforcement recovered 30 liters of the stolen oil.
The official version states that upon noticing the police presence, the suspect spilled another 20 liters to prevent them from being seized.
Dielectric oil is essential for the insulation and cooling of transformers, so its removal can render the equipment out of service.
The company stated that the incident caused damage to the local residents of Unión de Reyes, who are forced to deal with an additional disruption to the electrical service in a situation already marked by frequent and prolonged outages.
The detainee remains in the custody of the authorities while investigations continue to clarify all the details of the case.
The official statement characterized the incident as "sabotage," a criminal charge that Cuban authorities have been applying to thefts and damages against facilities of the National Electric Power System.
The case arises after authorities in Matanzas acknowledged in May an increase in the theft of dielectric oil from transformers during 2026.
At that time, it was reported that the municipalities with the highest incidents were Jovellanos, Los Arabos, Calimete, Martí, Perico, Colón, Pedro Betancourt, and Jagüey Grande.
Thefts often take advantage of the darkness due to the constant threat of power outages, as well as the lack of surveillance in remote facilities.
The stolen oil usually ends up in the informal market for use as a substitute for fuel or lubricant, while the damage to transformers can prolong blackouts even further.
Nevertheless, the problem extends across the entire island and cases have continued throughout August.
One of the most recent events occurred in Mayabeque, where authorities dismantled a gang of six individuals accused of stealing dielectric oil from transformers in Güines and Melena del Sur.
According to the official version, the group operated with planning, climbed the poles without ladders, tampered with the transformers, and transported the oil in plastic tanks on bicycles to avoid drawing attention.
The situation is also serious in Holguín, where the theft of dielectric oil has become the most common crime against the electrical system.
More than half of the 42 criminal incidents recorded by the end of July were related to the theft of this product, while in less than a month, 13 new incidents against the electrical infrastructure were accounted for.
The background has been accumulating for several months. In May, a man was taken to a trial described as "exemplary" in Artemisa for the theft of 70 liters of dielectric oil from a transformer. The case was processed under the charge of sabotage.
That same month, an employee of the Electric Company of Isla de la Juventud was sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing 60 liters of oil from a generating plant, in a separate case involving sabotage.
In cases related to the theft of dielectric oil and wiring from public lighting, the courts of Ciego de Ávila imposed sentences ranging from seven to 12 years in prison also in May.
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