The Cuban Yoelvys Álvarez Gavilán was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Provincial People's Court of Pinar del Río after stealing screws and other accessories from the photovoltaic park "La Barbarita", located in the municipality of Consolación del Sur, as reported by the state-run Periódico Guerrillero.
The court classified the acts as a crime of sabotage of the National Electric Power System (SEN), based on Article 125 of Law No. 151 of the Cuban Penal Code, which imposes penalties ranging from seven to 15 years of imprisonment for those who threaten that infrastructure.
"The criminal charge presented during the oral hearing is based on the theft of screws and other accessories used for the proper functioning of such installations," the newspaper detailed.
During the hearing, the public prosecutor warned about the consequences of these "unscrupulous attitudes for the country's economy and the lives of its citizens," according to the official source.
"La Barbarita" is the first of four solar parks planned for the province of Pinar del Río as part of the national renewable energy program.
Inaugurated on May 10, 2025, with an installed capacity of 21.8 MWp, the facility contributed 1,173 MWh from its synchronization to the National Electric System until its formal inauguration, and allowed for an estimated savings of over 300 tons of fossil fuel.
The case of Álvarez Gavilán is not isolated. Cuban authorities have acknowledged that between 2025 and the first half of 2026, more than 460 criminal investigations were conducted related to offenses against the SEN, including sabotage, damage, burglary, theft, and receiving stolen goods.
The punitive trend has consistently hardened. According to reported data, 100% of those accused of crimes against the SEN between January 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 received sentences of over 10 years in prison.
In recent weeks, similar cases have emerged: a 19-year-old was sentenced to eight years in prison for sabotage of the electrical system, and last July, another Cuban received 12 years for electrical sabotage in Artemisa.
This tightening of regulations is partly in response to Opinion 475 issued by the People's Supreme Court in May 2025, which directed the courts to classify any removal or damage to components of the electrical system, including solar parks, as sabotage rather than mere theft or robbery.
The measure drastically increased the applicable penalties, which in the most serious cases can reach up to 30 years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty according to Article 126 of the Penal Code.
Cuba has been going through a severe energy crisis since 2024, with blackouts lasting more than 20 hours a day. The regime has bet on the expansion of photovoltaic parks as a structural solution, making these facilities politically sensitive infrastructure.
The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, has publicly attributed part of the power outages to the theft of components from the electrical system.
The official source warned that attacks on photovoltaic parks “cause damage to their structures and could endanger energy generation and human lives,” thereby justifying the application of penalties typically associated with sabotage for what would be classified as petty theft in other legal contexts.
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