The Cuban government has shifted responsibility for a critical issue that significantly concerns public opinion and challenges the principles of equity claimed by the so-called "revolution": the duration and frequency of power outages by province.
As one of the main topics in the conversation about the nation's ongoing energy crisis, discussions about the unfair distribution of outages in Cuba and the alleged privileges of Havana residents are rampant on social media, particularly on the platforms of the Unión Eléctrica (UNE).
However, Vicente de La O Levy, the Minister of Energy and Mines, addressed this widespread public sentiment during Wednesday's Mesa Redonda broadcast. He asserted that the distribution of power outages is not managed from UNE's central offices but is "decided by each territory."
In a convoluted explanation of how national "affectations" are calculated based on the deficit in generation capacity and expected demand, De La O Levy stated that the distribution by provinces is determined by which circuits can be shut down and which cannot, depending on local priorities and specific circumstances.
Factors such as the impact of outages on water pumping (at a critical time for national water supply), population concentrations, consumption levels, and percentage allocations based on demand, among "other factors," are what provincial officials consider when establishing blackout schedules in each territory.
In late July 2022, amid another peak of the energy crisis in Cuba, the Havana government announced that it would schedule four-hour blackouts for the Cuban capital in "solidarity" with the rest of the nation, where residents endured up to 12-hour daily power cuts.
"In a gesture of solidarity with the country, Havana will schedule four-hour daytime power cuts (from 10 AM to 2 PM) in city circuits, with a frequency of every three days," stated Reinaldo García Zapata, the city's governor, during an economic plenary in the Cuban capital.
The reference to "Havana's solidarity" with the rest of the country was later removed from the headline and the official media report. Tribuna de La Habana retitled the article as "Acting with Greater Responsibility to Contribute to the Nation's Efforts."
In line with the "solidarity" approach, the then-first secretary of the Communist Party in Havana, Luis Antonio Torres Iríbar, added that "this is the time to contribute so that the rest of Cuba suffers less from these undesirable blackouts."
The official attempted to downplay the dire energy situation but ended up highlighting Havana's privileges over other provinces amid continuous complaints from the rest of the island's population about the unequal distribution of blackouts.
"It's not that Havana will have blackouts because the country can't manage, no. Havana is willing to endure these blackouts to help the rest of the country, being just and showing solidarity with our brothers, sisters, families, our people," he stated.
During that period (from May to July 2022), residents of Cuban provinces, except for Havana, suffered daily blackouts of up to 12 hours, exacerbating public discontent and sparking citizen protests in recent weeks.
The decision triggered a wave of irony, criticism, and mockery on social media. Comedian Ulises Toirac summarized the announcement with what he called a Cuban maxim: "I don't want to improve; I want the other to suffer as much as I do."
A social media user identified as Un poeta ahí concluded that the solution is not to see who suffers more but to remove those who have been causing suffering for decades, followed by the hashtag: #DownWithTheDictatorship
At the end of August this year, the "solidarity blackouts" returned to Havana. On Facebook, the Empresa Eléctrica de La Habana announced that the capital's service would be affected due to an emergency arising from a generation deficit in the National Electric System.
The measure sparked a strong controversy on social media. While Havana prepared for two-hour power cuts, many citizens in the provinces expressed their outrage, pointing out that these interruptions were not comparable to the long hours of blackouts they suffered daily for years.
The controversy was ignited by a Facebook post from user Pedro de Jesús López Acosta. After expressing his frustration, the Cuban criticized what he viewed as unequal treatment between Havana and the rest of the provinces. According to López Acosta, while the capital's blackouts were justified by "emergencies," those in the provinces were constant and prolonged due to the generation deficit. He saw this situation as evidence of the authorities' "shamelessness" and lack of "empathy."
Understanding Cuba's Power Outage Distribution
Given the widespread interest and concern about the distribution of power outages in Cuba, here are some key questions and answers that provide further insight into the situation.
Why are power outages distributed differently across Cuban provinces?
According to the Cuban government, power outages are distributed based on local priorities, population concentrations, consumption levels, and other factors. Each territory decides its blackout schedule to address specific needs and challenges.
What is the justification for the shorter power cuts in Havana?
The government claims that the shorter power cuts in Havana are a gesture of solidarity with the rest of the country. However, this has drawn criticism and accusations of unequal treatment from residents in other provinces.
How have citizens reacted to the government's handling of power outages?
The government's handling of power outages has sparked widespread criticism, irony, and mockery on social media. Many citizens are frustrated by what they see as an unfair distribution of blackouts and a lack of empathy from the authorities.