In the Jovellanos municipality of Matanzas province, a man has been apprehended on allegations of stealing metal angles from 110 KV high-voltage towers in the San Carlos Popular Council. This information was reported by the pro-government Facebook page, Con Todos La Victoria, which is associated with the Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
The Findings at His Residence
Upon searching the suspect's home, authorities discovered the stolen materials were used to construct a base for 10 solar panels, largely made from the high-voltage tower angles. Additionally, 25 more segments of the same material were found.
According to the official statement, two angles were missing from tower number five and another five from tower number six.
The source wryly noted, "It seems someone in the San Carlos, Jovellanos area mistook a 110 KV high-voltage tower for a hardware store."
The story unfolded further when residents of the Luisa neighborhood found eight angles hidden in a banana plantation, which they retrieved and returned to the electric company.
Jovellanos: A Hotspot for Theft
The Provincial Defense Council of Matanzas warned in early October that Jovellanos is among the municipalities with the highest incidence of thefts targeting the National Electro-Energetic System (SEN), along with Cárdenas, Jagüey Grande, and Colón.
The statistics reported by the province itself are alarming.
By the end of August 2026, there had been 175 instances of dielectric oil theft—up from 136 throughout 2025—with over 55,950 liters stolen, 91 transformers damaged, and 43 out of 98 electrical substations affected, 12 of which were rendered non-operational.
The substation at Gratitud, located three kilometers from Jovellanos, was looted six times within just three months in 2025.
Recently, another man was arrested in Jovellanos for cutting wires and removing a solar panel from the roof of a house in the Flor Crombet popular council.
Severe Penalties Await Offenders
The Cuban regime has responded to this surge in thefts with unprecedentedly harsh legal measures.
Ruling 475 of the Supreme People's Court, issued in May 2025, affirmed that any damage to critical infrastructure should be prosecuted as sabotage in accordance with Article 125 of the Penal Code, which has been in effect since 2022.
Penalties for sabotaging the electrical system range from seven to 15 years for basic offenses, and from 10 to 30 years, life imprisonment, or the death penalty for aggravated cases.
The Supreme Court itself warned that "the prescribed punishment ranges from ten to thirty years of imprisonment, life imprisonment, or death" when aggravating circumstances, such as personal economic motivation, are present.
Nationally, the Attorney General's Office reported over 460 criminal investigations for crimes against the SEN between 2025 and the first half of 2026, with more than 300 concerning dielectric oil theft across 97 municipalities in 15 provinces.
During the same period, 100% of those tried for SEN-related crimes received sentences exceeding ten years.
Key Questions About Theft and Penalties in Cuba's Energy Sector
What are the main targets of theft in Cuba's energy sector?
The main targets include high-voltage tower components and dielectric oil, with thefts causing significant damage to transformers and substations.
What legal measures has Cuba implemented to address these thefts?
Cuba has intensified penalties, treating such thefts as sabotage under the Penal Code, with sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty for severe cases.
How prevalent are thefts in the energy sector across Cuba?
Thefts are widespread, with over 460 criminal investigations recorded between 2025 and mid-2026, affecting multiple provinces and resulting in extensive damage to the energy infrastructure.