The Cuban Yoelvys Álvarez Gavilán was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Provincial People's Court of Pinar del Río for stealing screws and other accessories from the photovoltaic park "La Barbarita", located in the municipality of Consolación del Sur, as reported by the official Periódico Guerrillero.
The court classified the actions as a crime of sabotage against the National Electroenergetic System (SEN), under article 125 of Law No. 151 of the Cuban Penal Code, which establishes penalties of seven to 15 years of imprisonment for those who threaten that infrastructure.
"The criminal charge presented during the oral hearing revolves around the theft of screws and other accessories used for the proper functioning of such installations," the newspaper detailed.
During the hearing, the prosecutor's office warned about the consequences of those "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 enabled an estimated savings of over 300 tons of fossil fuel.
The case of Álvarez Gavilán is not an isolated one. 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 property.
The punitive trend has steadily intensified. According to reported data, 100% of those accused of crimes against the SEN between January 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 received sentences exceeding 10 years in prison.
In recent weeks, similar cases have come to light: 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 measures is partially in response to Opinion 475 issued by the People's Supreme Court in May 2025, which instructed the courts to classify as sabotage—rather than simple theft or robbery—any removal or damage to components of the electrical system, including solar parks.
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.
Since 2024, Cuba has been experiencing a severe energy crisis, with blackouts exceeding 20 hours daily. The regime has focused on expanding 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 some of the power outages to the theft of components from the electrical system.
The official source warned that the attacks on photovoltaic parks "cause damage to their structures and could endanger energy generation and human lives," thus justifying the application of penalties typical of sabotage to what, in other legal contexts, would be classified as petty theft.
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