Yusely Perez recounted being compelled to gather firewood for cooking purposes in Cuba. The country recently faced severe challenges, including a nationwide blackout leaving approximately 10 million citizens without electricity for multiple days. Additionally, Hurricane Oscar caused devastation along the north-eastern coast, resulting in casualties and widespread destruction. Certain communities in Cuba now consider the energy crisis as a regular occurrence.
With Havana experiencing a lack of gas deliveries for two months, Yusely resorted to using firewood when the entire electrical grid collapsed. Despite searching the city for charcoal without success, she managed to find dry firewood on the streets for cooking. Having gone two days without food, she expressed gratitude that the firewood was suitable for cooking yucca chips in lukewarm oil.
As the energy crisis persisted, Cuba’s Energy and Mines Minister attributed the problems to the US economic embargo, hindering the import of necessary parts and fuel for power stations. However, the US State Department refuted this claim, placing the blame on the Cuban government’s mismanagement. President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned against protests over the blackout, emphasizing the authorities’ intolerance towards vandalism or any disruption of social order.
Marbeyis Aguilera, a mother-of-three, shared her experience of enduring six days without power in her village of Aguacate. She highlighted the challenges faced by the community, such as food insecurity and water scarcity, exacerbated by the prolonged power cuts. State workers were recalled to address the crisis, but non-essential work and schools were suspended to prevent further grid failures.
Living without a reliable energy source has become the norm for residents like Marbeyis in Aguacate, where power shortages have been ongoing since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sight of people resorting to firewood and charcoal for cooking in the modern age reflects the dire situation reminiscent of past poverty under dictator Fulgencio Batista. Despite the passing of Hurricane Oscar, the precarious state of Cuba’s energy infrastructure signals the looming threat of another nationwide blackout.