Despite forecasts of an intense hurricane season in the Atlantic starting June 1, the Cuban regime suspended the Meteoro-2024 Popular Exercise this Friday, an event that usually prepares the country's population for the hurricane season.
A note from the Civil Defense stated that the decision to cancel Meteoro-2024—originally postponed to May 31 and June 1—was made to "focus efforts on restoring the National Electrical System," according to the official portal Cubadebate. The note added that during the week of May 13 to 17, planned activities for risk reduction were carried out, and plans and measures to reduce vulnerabilities in all organisms and territories of the country ahead of the upcoming hurricane season were updated.
It further assured that the leadership and command bodies would "continue to refine on the ground the measures outlined" in the plans to handle large-scale meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes. However, exercises involving the population and preparing them for disaster scenarios will not take place, even though meteorological services in both Cuba and the United States agree that the Atlantic hurricane season from June 1 to November 30, 2024, will be the most active in the last 30 years.
The regime had initially planned to conduct the exercise on May 18 and 19 but postponed the activities to May 31 and June 1 due to the ongoing fuel supply crisis and the increasing frequency of power outages on the island. This situation has only worsened over time. The Civil Defense General Staff of Cuba announced at that time that the event was postponed due to the "complex situation of the national electrical system," which has now led to its ultimate cancellation.
The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged earlier this month that the island is facing "an extremely complex situation in terms of energy." Despite his justifications, the population continues to suffer from power outages lasting over 14 hours in some areas, causing constant stress among citizens and leading to some protests that have been suppressed.
Questions About Cuba's Energy Crisis and Meteoro-2024 Suspension
The suspension of the Meteoro-2024 exercise by the Cuban government due to the ongoing energy crisis has raised several questions. Below, we address some of the most pressing concerns.
Why was Meteoro-2024 canceled?
Meteoro-2024 was canceled to focus on restoring the National Electrical System amid a severe energy crisis, according to the Civil Defense.
What is the purpose of the Meteoro exercise?
The Meteoro exercise is designed to prepare the Cuban population for hurricane season by involving them in disaster response drills and risk reduction activities.
How severe is the current energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is extremely severe, with power outages lasting over 14 hours in some areas, and it has led to widespread stress and protests among the population.