Cuba is gripped by a deepening crisis, with the national electrical grid collapsing for the fourth time in just 48 hours. This latest power outage, which plunged the island nation into darkness, is the most recent manifestation of a multifaceted crisis that has been brewing for years.
The power grid first crashed on Friday, following the shutdown of Cuba’s largest power plant. This sparked widespread chaos, leaving 10 million people without electricity. The subsequent collapses have only exacerbated the situation, pushing Cuba to the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
While Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has attributed the problem to deteriorating infrastructure and fuel shortages worsened by Hurricane Milton, the reality is far more complex. The island’s power plants are in a state of disrepair, neglected for years, and desperately in need of maintenance. This has resulted in a fragile electrical grid unable to meet the demands placed on it.
Adding fuel to the fire is the island’s heavy reliance on imported fuel to sustain its power grid. Cuba’s main fuel supplier, Venezuela, has drastically reduced exports due to its own economic woes. Meanwhile, diminished shipments from Mexico and Russia have left Cuba in a precarious position, severely limiting its capacity to generate electricity.
Cuba’s power generation relies primarily on large thermoelectric plants, such as the Antonio Guiteras plant, along with smaller facilities that require crude oil for operation. While the country produces roughly half of the crude oil it needs, the remaining portion must be purchased from the international market, a challenging and expensive endeavor due to US sanctions.
In response to these challenges, Cuban authorities have been working to upgrade the island’s electrical grid by incorporating alternative energy sources. A significant project to build 31 solar energy generation centers is underway but won’t be completed until next year.
However, the Cuban economy has been in a downward spiral, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic which decimated international tourism and led to soaring inflation. Former President Donald Trump’s sanctions, which reclassified Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” have further complicated the situation, making it increasingly difficult for the country to secure essential resources, including fuel and food.
The combination of economic pressure and infrastructure issues has created a perfect storm, pushing Cuba to the brink. In March, widespread protests erupted in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second-largest city, as citizens voiced their frustration over the scarcity of electricity and food. The government has implemented a rationing system for food distribution, limiting bread allocations to children and pregnant women.
Some analysts believe the current conditions are worse than the economic crisis that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, a period known as the Special Period.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Cuban government has announced the cancellation of classes for students from Monday to Wednesday, following a similar cancellation on Friday. Non-essential workers have also been instructed to stay home. The U.S. Embassy in Havana will be open only for emergency services on Monday.
In a televised address on Thursday, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz stated that much of the country’s limited production had been halted to prevent complete power outages. “We have been paralyzing economic activity to generate power for the population,” he said.
The situation in Cuba is dire, highlighting the interconnectedness of economic, political, and environmental factors that can contribute to a nation’s downfall. As the crisis deepens, the world watches anxiously, wondering what the future holds for the island nation.