The content creator Juan López reported the theft of cables from a 4G telecommunications antenna in the city of Holguín, leaving residents with almost nonexistent connectivity, despite the installation of solar panels to enhance the signal in July.
In a video posted on Friday on his Facebook page Juan Cuenta Holguín, López showcased the tower located in the building of the provincial delegation of Agriculture, at the intersection of the road to Gibara and Cajigal Avenue, near the Children's Park.
"After a few days, the cables were stolen, and today the entire neighborhood is almost without any connection. That's just how things are in Cuba," he remarked, recalling that the installation of the panels had generated a lot of interest among his followers.
In his post, he also emphasized that the theft of cables and other elements from 4G towers "has become a very regrettable trend in this city."
Reactions to the publication pointed to similar issues in other areas. A resident of the Alex Urquiola neighborhood stated that they had been without internet or phone signal for over four months and attributed the interruption to the possible theft of cables from a tower located above the Latinoamericana store. They also expressed their despair over the lack of restoration.
From Fontanar, in the capital municipality of Boyeros, another user stated that the neighbors continued to have no connection, no mobile data, and no ability to use their phones normally.
In response to the testimonies, López stated that the problem "seems to be occurring throughout Cuba." However, the experiences shared in the comments do not allow for a definitive assessment of the actual extent of these incidents, nor confirm that all of them are due to cable thefts.
A user requested that those responsible face severe penalties. López replied that "it seems they have already started to take measures," although in his post he did not specify what those actions would be nor did he provide details about a possible restoration of service in the affected areas.
The incident is part of a sustained escalation of thefts and attacks against telecommunications infrastructure in this and other provinces.
In 2025 alone, the Territorial Division of the state-owned and sole Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) in Holguín recorded 27 acts of vandalism resulting in losses exceeding 529,000 Cuban pesos.
In March, it was reported that the theft of 180 meters of cable caused the Oscar Lucero pumping station in the City of Parks to be paralyzed for more than 60 days, resulting in interruptions to the water supply in several areas.
In June, the theft of solar panels left four popular councils of the Turquino Plan in Sagua de Tánamo without television signal.
Similarly, in Las Tunas, theft of Etecsa cables and solar panels impacted essential water and electricity facilities in September.
The ruling 475 of the People's Supreme Court, approved in May 2025, classifies these acts as sabotage with penalties ranging from seven to 30 years of imprisonment, life imprisonment, or the death penalty in the most severe cases.
However, the perception among citizens is that impunity persists, which fuels recidivism and frustrates efforts to expand connectivity on the island.
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