For weeks, the Cuban population has been enduring blackouts lasting more than 12 hours a day, sometimes stretching to 20 hours, as acknowledged by the country's leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel. Despite this, the Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE), the state-run company responsible for the nation's power supply, has decided to share and express gratitude for the messages it receives through social media from Cubans thankful for its "efforts."
In a Facebook post, the company attempted to counter the thousands of complaints it receives weekly from Cubans fed up with its inefficiency, misinformation, and poor service. "When the grateful people speak, we have no choice but to say: #WeKeepWorking #UnitedForCuba and with feet in the stirrups. #WeAreAlsoThePeople #WeKeepFighting #Cuba," the UNE stated on its social media platforms.
As expected, the socialist state-run company responded to the gratitude with a flood of empty slogans and hashtags, highlighting the lack of genuine arguments and ideas from its leaders, starting with its director, Alfredo López Valdés, down to the last official in its Communication and Image Department.
"Congratulations to the workers of UNE and EMCE who, despite all kinds of adversities, were able to carry out the maintenance of the Felton thermoelectric plant for the benefit of all Cubans. Thank you," said one of the grateful users.
"The workers receive the sincere and grateful respect of the people. Feel proud of what you are, walk with demonstrated pride. Let's greet each worker with the joy, respect, and admiration they deserve. And let's throw them a party. We are Cubans, and that's how we celebrate!" proclaimed another thankful user.
The comments on the post did not take long to appear, and as every day, dozens of Cuban netizens expressed their true feelings towards the company responsible for the blackouts they suffer from.
"But they only post the comments that suit them. Publish the criticisms, which I'm sure are many more," said one user. "I imagine those positive comments are from their own workers because they are not from the people. It's true they work tirelessly and are recognized, but we need results. Otherwise, they continue to make a fool of themselves," noted another.
"Don't make propaganda about the effort, because each of us has to make an effort simply because we live in Cuba. Results should be highlighted. If UNE has to make such a big effort, what will the ordinary people say, excluding Havana, which enjoys all the governmental benefits?" opined another Cuban.
"How can one be grateful for inefficiency, impatience, a long-standing problem, a story that repeats year after year? The least they could do is apologize, but surely next year we will be in the same situation," pointed out another netizen.
"The real culprits of this collapse are not the workers of MINEM [Ministry of Energy and Mines]. This must be more than clear. They manage to get those old machines working with minimal resources. It would be unfair to say that the disaster is their fault," concluded another user.
Understanding the Cuban Energy Crisis
To provide further context and understanding of the ongoing energy crisis in Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
Why are blackouts so common in Cuba?
Blackouts are frequent due to the aging infrastructure, lack of resources, and poor management by the state-run electrical company, Unión Eléctrica de Cuba (UNE).
What has the Cuban government done to address the energy crisis?
While the government has acknowledged the issue and made some efforts, such as maintaining the Felton thermoelectric plant, these measures have been insufficient in solving the widespread problem.
How do Cubans generally feel about the efforts of UNE?
Many Cubans express frustration and dissatisfaction with UNE's efforts, often criticizing the company for its inefficiency and lack of tangible results.