A woman from Cuba, identified on TikTok as @yemayasitaasessu, shared a video on Friday expressing her frustration with the chronic power outages affecting her community. She recounted enduring over 20 consecutive hours without electricity, describing a situation she emphatically states "is not living."
In her emotional account, she reveals that from midnight on Thursday until 8 p.m. on Friday, her area was left without power. When it finally returned, it lasted less than 15 minutes before cutting out again.
“Folks, this is unbearable, we can't take it anymore," she declares at the start of the video, visibly exhausted by the ongoing ordeal.
Impact of Power Outages on Daily Life
The woman explains how these extended blackouts make it impossible to preserve food: “You go out, everything is outrageously expensive, unaffordable, and then you buy a package of chicken for 6,000 pesos and have to eat it like a pig because it spoils.”
She also highlights the unbearable heat, swarming mosquitoes, and streets piled with garbage, painting a grim picture of a reality that seems to have no end: “The lamps can’t take it anymore, the fans can’t take it anymore, this is just intolerable.”
In the video description, she wrote: “Enough already, we can't take it anymore, they're killing us alive, what Cubans are going through is not living, we are human beings, not animals.”
Unprecedented Energy Crisis
This heartfelt plea comes amid an unprecedented electricity crisis. The Unión Eléctrica (UNE) reported a peak shortfall of 2,081 MW on Thursday, forecasting a 2,075 MW deficit for the evening peak, with only 950 MW available to meet a demand of 2,570 MW.
A significant portion of this shortfall, amounting to 1,203 MW, was directly linked to fuel shortages, with 106 distributed generation plants out of service due to the same issue.
Protests and Response
The situation is particularly dire in Santiago de Cuba. Since June 16, the local electric company has reorganized outages into nine blocks, leaving each area with just one or two hours of electricity daily.
Thursday saw widespread pot-banging protests in Santiago de Cuba neighborhoods like Reparto Sueño, Micro 2, Santa Bárbara, Antonio Maceo, and Altamira, while residents in Havana’s "El Hueco" neighborhood reported over 36 continuous hours without power.
This Friday, residents of Santos Suárez in the Diez de Octubre municipality of Havana set trash ablaze in the streets to protest the blackouts, prompting a response from the regime with police deployments, militarization of the streets, and internet shutdowns.
Health Implications and Ongoing Struggles
Extreme cases documented in June include 72 hours without power in Los Mangos, Matanzas, and 85 continuous hours in another circuit of that province, alongside areas in Diez de Octubre that had just 20 minutes of electricity on June 16.
A study released on May 25 revealed that prolonged power outages in Cuba are linked to depression, anxiety, and severe stress, turning them into a public health issue.
The Cuban woman concluded her video with a poignant question reflecting the exasperation of millions: “But how far are they going to take us?”
Understanding the Cuban Electricity Crisis
What is causing the electricity crisis in Cuba?
The electricity crisis in Cuba is largely due to a significant shortfall in power generation capacity, exacerbated by fuel shortages, and outdated infrastructure. These issues result in frequent and extended power outages affecting the entire country.
How are Cuban citizens responding to the power outages?
Cuban citizens have been responding with protests such as pot-banging demonstrations and setting fire to trash in the streets. These acts of civil disobedience reflect their frustration with the ongoing power outages and the government’s inadequate response.
What are the health effects of prolonged power outages in Cuba?
Prolonged power outages in Cuba have been linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety, and severe stress among the population, making the crisis a significant public health concern.