Imagine trying to run a modern country with technology that belongs in a museum. That is the current reality for ten million people in Cuba who are currently learning to love life by candlelight. The national electrical grid has collapsed for the second time in a week, leaving the entire island in a very literal dark age. The energy ministry called it a total disconnection, which sounds much nicer than admitting the whole system just gave up the ghost.
The authorities are currently scrambling to get the power back to hospitals and water pumps, but progress is slow. About half of Havana had its lights back on by Sunday afternoon, but the rest of the country is still waiting. This is the third time the lights have gone out this month. Between the ancient equipment and a fuel blockade that stops oil from reaching the island, the power grid is basically running on fumes and optimism.
Pots, Pans, and Angry Neighbours
It turns out that people get quite annoyed when they cannot cook dinner or keep their food from rotting. In Havana, locals took to the streets to bang pots and pans in a noisy show of dissent. Things got even more heated in the town of Morón, where protesters actually set fire to the Communist Party headquarters. In a place where speaking out usually gets you a one way ticket to a prison cell, these fires are a very clear sign that people have had enough.
One resident in Havana told reporters that the problems have been piling up for decades. It is not just about the electricity; it is about a lack of jobs, a social crisis, and an economy that is stuck in reverse. For many, there is nowhere left to run and nothing left to lose.
The Art of the Friendly Takeover
While Cuba sits in the dark, Donald Trump is busy pitching his latest business idea from Washington. Fresh off the back of US soldiers seizing the leader of Venezuela in January, Trump has turned his gaze toward Havana. He recently suggested a friendly takeover of the island, which he claims would be an absolute honour. It seems he views the entire Caribbean as a potential real estate opportunity.
The US President insists that he will only lift the fuel embargo if the Cuban leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, steps down. As you can imagine, the Cuban government is not exactly thrilled with this proposal. Díaz-Canel has made it clear that the island is ready to defend itself and that their political system is not up for negotiation. He would rather keep the lights off than let a foreign power pick the new management.
Aid on the Horizon
A group of international socialist groups is currently trying to help by sending a flotilla of aid from Mexico. They are bringing solar panels, food, and medicine to help the struggling population. Even this plan hit a bump, as rough seas delayed the ships. It seems that when things go wrong in Cuba, they go wrong in every possible way.
There are some very quiet talks happening between the two governments to try and end the crisis, but nobody is holding their breath. The Cuban officials remain defiant, insisting that the revolution is not for sale. It is a classic standoff where the only people suffering are the millions of citizens waiting for the flick of a switch.
Will a few solar panels be enough to save the system, or is this the beginning of a much bigger political storm?
Do you think a country can actually survive on ideology alone when the fridge is empty and the lights are out?
Related topics: North America
