A resident of Circuit 7 in Santiago de Cuba reported on Thursday that her neighborhood had been without electricity for almost 24 consecutive hours, in a testimony that reflects the extreme exhaustion of those surviving the worst energy crisis in the recent history of the Island.
Mary Elena Hernández Rodríguez harshly described on Facebook the consequences of the prolonged power outage: families without rest, spoiled food, elderly people in difficulties, and children without basic conditions. "Behind that number, there is much more than a dark house," she wrote, adding that people "try to carry on as if living this way were normal."
The accumulated stress has taken a physical toll on him. "How much longer can we endure before our hearts explode? My blood pressure is almost 180 over 110!" he warned.
The author also warned that the problems don’t end when the service is restored: “When they restore it, then it’s time to fetch water.” The dependence is direct: 66% of water supply interruptions in Cuba are attributed to electrical failures. Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the water crisis is “serious and complex”, without offering concrete solutions.
Hernández Rodríguez concludes: "At what point did we stop talking about quality of life and simply settle for enduring? Because living should not be like this."
The electrical situation in Cuba is devastating. On Thursday, the service was affected by capacity shortages for 24 hours, with a maximum recording of 1,785 MW at 6:10 PM, according to the report from Unión Eléctrica.
The history of blackouts in Cuba records eight total disconnections from the National Electric System during 2026, including one on September 18.
The impact on the health of the population is documented. In May, a study published in the scientific journal Social Science & Medicine concluded that the blackouts in Cuba are associated with severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in the adult population.
Nights without electricity, without fans or air conditioning in stifling heat, make sleeping almost impossible. The accumulated lack of rest can lead to chronic exhaustion, hormonal dysregulation, irritability, sleep disorders, and a weakened immune system.
The Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Monsignor Dionisio García Ibáñez, summarized the collective despair with a phrase that continues to resonate: "We are in a bad situation, we don't know how to get out of this."
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