Millions of people across Cuba faced a second consecutive night without electricity this past Saturday, amidst a significant power outage affecting nationwide electricity supply. The Associated Press reported that the outage began in the evening, with intermittent internet and phone services further complicating the situation.
On social media, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that authorities were “intensely working” to stabilize the power grid. Unfortunately, restoration efforts in Havana and the second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba, failed, necessitating a fresh start by the grid operator.
Outside Havana, the vast majority of Cubans have contended with recurring rolling blackouts lasting as long as 20 hours daily, for months. These challenges highlight ongoing infrastructure and economic struggles within Cuba.
The nation grapples with an economic downturn exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and tightened sanctions from the United States. President Donald Trump has increased sanctions against Cuba’s communist government, affirming a tough stance towards the Caribbean nation.
“The Cuban Electricity Union is pursuing a strategy to create ‘microsystems’ to gradually reconnect and restore electricity across the island,” experts note that fuel shortages and aging power infrastructure are primarily responsible for the recent outages. Despite these efforts, Cuba faces significant hurdles in its quest to ensure reliable electricity supply to its citizens.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/cuba-faces-nationwide-blackout-for-second-night-in-a-row/a-71934319?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
