Alejandro González Acosta, a researcher at Mexico's Autonomous University, has presented a strong theory during a CiberCuba discussion: the blackouts plaguing Cuba are not merely an energy crisis but a deliberate tool used by the regime to cut off communications, technologically isolate the population, and carry out repression without witnesses.
"Beyond the blackout that obviously cuts the lights and hinders cooking, there's something more critical: it disrupts communications. They know their enemy is the Internet," González Acosta stated during the program hosted by Tania Costa, alongside historians Jorge León and Omar Sixto.
The analyst's argument extends beyond the electrical crisis. By cutting the power, the regime effectively isolates the island, he explained: "Turning off the lights cuts communications, leaving the island entirely under control. They can massacre the population without anyone knowing."
González Acosta was explicit in pointing out that "these blackouts serve a secondary purpose: technological isolation and the potential to carry out a massacre on the island unnoticed until much later."
This theory is supported by documented events. The fourth total blackout of the year occurred on July 10, and on June 25, the generation deficit reached a record of 2,208 MW, leaving 70% of the country without electricity simultaneously. In Matanzas, power cuts lasted up to 87 consecutive hours.
Simultaneously, the regime has implemented targeted internet blackouts in protest-prone neighborhoods like Centro Habana, Regla, and Playa to prevent live broadcasts and documentation of repression. On May 14, a massive internet outage in Havana coincided with a police deployment that detained at least 14 people. The direct precedent is July 11, 2021, when the regime blocked WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram for over 48 hours while detaining more than 1,500 individuals.
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded 1,311 protests in May 2026 alone, the highest monthly figure to date, many directly linked to the lack of electricity and water.
González Acosta also warned about the 176 economic measures approved by the regime on June 18, which open sectors to private and foreign investment. Citing Lenin — "the bourgeois are so stupid they'll sell us the rope with which we'll hang them" — he cautioned that entrepreneurs investing under this framework would be funding the regime itself.
To illustrate the political moment, the researcher drew a historical parallel. "In 1898, it was the explosion of the Maine battleship. Now, what could it be? A situation at the Guantánamo base, something happening there that sparks and sets off the powder keg."
This reference gains weight amid the military escalation of 2026: intelligence reports on over 300 Cuban drones of Russian and Iranian origin, the deployment of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in May, and the visit of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to Guantánamo on June 10.
"The entire island is a vast dry desert," González Acosta concluded. "A spark could ignite it."
Questions About Cuba's Blackouts and Political Repression
What is the main theory regarding Cuba's blackouts?
The theory suggests that the blackouts are not just an energy crisis but a tool used by the Cuban regime to cut communications, isolate the population, and carry out repression without witnesses.
How do blackouts aid the Cuban regime in repression?
By cutting power, the regime can disrupt communications and technologically isolate the island, enabling them to suppress dissent and conduct repressive actions without immediate international awareness.
What historical parallel did Alejandro González Acosta draw?
He compared the current situation to the explosion of the Maine battleship in 1898, suggesting that an incident at the Guantánamo base could ignite a significant conflict.