Facebook user Julio Gonpagés captured the frustration felt by many Cubans enduring power outages, while witnessing the illuminated K-23 Tower in El Vedado from their darkened homes. "A significant part of El Vedado remains in complete darkness. Many of us climb over 15 floors and live without lights for hours, while the K-23 Tower flaunts its lights all night. The best exhibit of the Biennial is 'The Land of Shadows and Its Contrasts,'" Gonpagés remarked.
These comments emerge amid growing anger over the stark inequality symbolized by the luxury Hotel K-23, owned by the military conglomerate GAESA. The hotel stands in the heart of a crumbling city plagued by garbage-strewn streets, food shortages, and hospitals lacking essential supplies.
Symbol of Misplaced Priorities
This opulent skyscraper has drawn fierce criticism on social media, with many Cubans viewing it as a symbol of the government's misguided priorities. Although the hotel has not yet opened to the public, the illuminated areas are believed to be floors where workers labor tirelessly at night to meet deadlines due to significant delays.
"The Tower of Arrogance" Stirs Debate
Dubbed by online users as "The Lookout of Misery" or "The Tower of Arrogance," the K-23 Tower has faced criticism not only for its aesthetic impact on the urban landscape but also for its senseless construction in a nation plagued by unmet basic needs. Estimated to cost around $565 million, the building starkly contrasts with the dilapidated state of Cuban power plants and the lack of investments in hospitals and housing.
A 300 MW plant, akin to the currently non-operational Antonio Guiteras power plant, costs between $210 and $450 million. The funds allocated to the K-23 could have addressed some aspects of the nation's energy crisis. However, the regime chose to prioritize another vacant luxury hotel in Havana.