Ilsa Ramos, the wife of political prisoner Yasmany González Valdés, shared a heart-wrenching update on social media about the conditions her 16-year-old autistic son is facing. The household has been without electricity for more than a day, leaving them vulnerable to the oppressive heat and relentless mosquito bites.
"This is the heart-wrenching image of my 16-year-old autistic son. Over 24 hours without electricity. The EcoFlow sent by my cousin and the rechargeable fans sent by Orquídea have died. He has been bitten by mosquitoes. Our children shouldn't have to live like this. Down with the cruel Castro-Canel dictatorship. Freedom for my husband Yasmany and all political prisoners," Ramos posted on Facebook.
The plight of Ramos's family highlights a dual tragedy: one rooted in political repression that has torn her family apart, and another in Cuba's catastrophic electricity crisis. Power outages in Havana can last between 20 to 22 hours a day, while some provinces experience up to 72 hours without electricity.
As reported on Wednesday, data from the Electric Union indicated a mere 970 MW were available against a demand of 2,525 MW, resulting in over 1,555 MW being impacted. The shutdown of the Guiteras thermoelectric plant on June 15 further exacerbated an already dire energy shortage.
Families with vulnerable members, reliant on fans and refrigeration, are hit hardest by these outages. Ramos's situation is not unique; activist Ernesto Almaguer Díaz from Holguín, also with an autistic child, endured 45 hours without power in June. He managed to raise over $2,125 and 1.5 million Cuban pesos through diaspora support to purchase a portable battery.
González Valdés, a rapper and activist, briefly experienced freedom with his first prison furlough in three years on May 4, 2026. However, the regime revoked this privilege just eight days later, sending him back to the Combinado del Este prison as punishment for posting images of his deteriorated physical state online.
The Cultural Rights Observatory condemned this as a "direct punishment for speaking out publicly on the inhumane prison conditions," criticizing the Cuban penal system's use of conditional benefits as tools for compliance and silence rather than reintegration.
Concerns over the activist's health are mounting. In September 2025, Ramos described his condition: "He looked like a skeleton, with a sunken face, extremely thin arms, his pants slipping off due to severe weight loss, and missing teeth."
Ramos has long been subjected to State Security harassment. In February 2024, she protested on Havana's Malecón with her autistic son, and since her husband's arrest, she has tirelessly demanded his release, stating, "My husband is unjustly imprisoned, and I will never stop saying it."
Understanding Cuba's Power Crisis and Political Repression
What is causing the severe power outages in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing significant power shortages due to outdated infrastructure, insufficient power generation capacity, and the recent shutdown of critical facilities like the Guiteras thermoelectric plant.
How do power outages affect vulnerable families in Cuba?
Power outages severely impact families with vulnerable members, such as those with disabilities, as they often rely on electrical devices for comfort and health. The lack of electricity exacerbates their already challenging living conditions.
Why was Yasmany González Valdés's prison furlough revoked?
The Cuban regime revoked Yasmany González Valdés's furlough as a punitive measure after he posted images online depicting his poor physical condition, which the authorities viewed as a public defiance.