A wooden utility pole with a completely rotten and cracked base, precariously held up by makeshift blue wires, poses an imminent threat to a residential building in the 13 de Marzo neighborhood of Cárdenas, Matanzas.
Christian Arbolaez, the administrator of the "Cardenenses en Facebook" group, brought attention to the hazardous situation on Friday. He warned about the imminent danger the structure presents to residents of Block 4 and any pedestrians passing by the Máximo Gómez road.
According to Arbolaez, about a week ago, workers from the Electric Company visited the site, tied some cables, and left without conducting any structural repairs. Since then, no one has returned to address the issue.
The photos accompanying the complaint show pieces of wood peeling off the base, with the pole mere inches from the balconies and windows of the adjacent building.
"Are we waiting for a tragedy?" Arbolaez questioned, sarcastically criticizing the authorities' "strategy" of hoping the pole lasts another day, another week, or until it finally collapses during the brief moments of electricity Block 4 receives, potentially causing harm.
Arbolaez also predicted the likely outcome: "We'll see the usual script unfold: regrets, investigations, promises... and no one will be held accountable. The real loser will be the unfortunate person who happens to be there and their family."
Comments from internet users on the post confirm that the problem is widespread. "Once there's an accident, they'll fix it," one user commented bitterly.
Another noted a worse situation on Ruiz Street between Obispo and Industria, while a third warned of another pole teetering dangerously at Velázquez and Ceres.
A fourth user pointed out that a pole at the intersection of Ruiz and Coronel Verdugo—previously reported by Arbolaez—had received only partial attention, leaving the hazard unresolved.
The public outrage was direct: "They can't even fix a pole to prevent a disaster caused by incompetent, inept, and useless people," another neighbor wrote.
One commenter sarcastically recalled the regime's typical excuse: "You know where they'll place the blame: the so-called genocidal blockade."
Systemic Infrastructure Decay
This incident is part of a broader pattern of systemic decay that has already taken lives. On June 13, a 39-year-old electrician from the Cárdenas Electric Company was electrocuted while attempting to repair a fault in the Tenería area between Neptuno and Ceres in the same city. Medical personnel were unable to revive him.
Mere days earlier, an ETECSA pole with a dangerous tilt in the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood of Matanzas alarmed residents. In that case, the Electric Company removed the support holding the structure, declaring it could not intervene until ETECSA acted first, leaving the pole unsupported.
This same bureaucratic back-and-forth seems to be playing out now in the 13 de Marzo neighborhood.
In early June, Cuba's electrical generation deficit reached 2,010 MW during peak hours, with blackouts in Matanzas lasting up to 85 consecutive hours.
Amid this energy collapse, the maintenance of physical infrastructure—poles, cables, transformers—is virtually nonexistent.
"I hope someone decides to repair the pole before we have to write a much sadder story," Arbolaez concluded his complaint. For now, the pole remains standing. Out of sheer habit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cárdenas Utility Pole Issues
What is the main concern with the utility pole in Cárdenas?
The primary concern is that the wooden utility pole, with a decayed and cracked base, could collapse onto a residential building or harm pedestrians due to its precarious condition.
Who reported the issue with the utility pole?
Christian Arbolaez, an administrator of the "Cardenenses en Facebook" group, reported the dangerous condition of the pole and the lack of response from the Electric Company.
How has the Electric Company responded to the utility pole issue?
The Electric Company tied some cables to the pole but did not perform any structural repairs, and they have not returned to address the problem since.