Cuba’s national power grid is nearing total collapse, with repeated failures leaving large parts of the country, including Havana, in the dark. The root causes go far beyond technical glitches Cuba’s aging infrastructure has been neglected for years, and the country faces chronic shortages of fuel, spare parts, and funding for repairs. Much of this crisis stems from the government’s long-standing mismanagement of resources. Instead of prioritizing essential services like energy, Cuba has funneled limited funds into inefficient state-run programs, international missions, and propaganda efforts. The result is an unstable grid that cannot handle increasing electricity demand, especially during the hot summer months.
In recent months, major power plant malfunctions and substation failures have triggered widespread blackouts, disrupting schools, businesses, hospitals, and even internet connectivity. A particularly devastating outage in October 2024 left the entire country without power for days. These conditions have fueled growing public frustration, with protests erupting in several cities as people demand accountability and a basic level of service. While the government has attempted to respond rushing to repair parts of the grid, installing gas-fired mini plants, and accepting solar power funding from China—the response has been slow and insufficient. Critics argue that if the government had properly invested in infrastructure earlier, the crisis could have been avoided. Ultimately, Cuba’s power crisis reflects not only technical failure but also years of economic mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
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