Cuba is facing a new aggravation of its energy crisis this Thursday. A massive power outage is affecting part of the east of the country while repeated cuts are causing tensions in Havana. In this context, the Cuban government has indicated that it is considering a US offer of $100 million in aid. 20 Minutes provides an overview of the situation.
A new power outage in the east of the country
The state-owned electricity company UNE announced that at 06:09 (10:09 GMT), a partial disconnection of the electricity network occurred. Seven out of fifteen provinces are affected, from Ciego de Avila to Guantanamo in the far east of the island. The exact origin of this new outage has not been specified by the authorities.
Shortly after this disconnection, the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the country’s main electricity production facility located in the province of Matanzas, was also disconnected from the network due to a boiler leak, as reported by the state media.
A crisis exacerbated by shortages
On Wednesday, the Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines acknowledged the extent of the energy supply difficulties by stating that the country had run out of fuel oil and diesel. He also mentioned that the 100,000 tons of crude oil transported by a Russian tanker authorized to dock at the end of March were now depleted.
This situation has led to strong frustration in several neighborhoods of Havana. From Wednesday night to Thursday, residents banged on pots to denounce power outages lasting more than twenty hours. “Turn on the lights for us!”, shouted residents of the Playa neighborhood. A few dozen people also protested earlier in the day in San Miguel del Padron against repeated power cuts.
American aid of $100 million
Faced with the degradation of the electricity network, the Cuban government said it was “ready” to consider a financial aid proposal from the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio renewed an offer of $100 million on Wednesday, conditioned on the aid being distributed by the Catholic Church and not the Cuban government. “This is a ruined and dysfunctional economy, and it is impossible to change it. I wish it were different,” he said on Fox News.
Cuban authorities responded that “the Cuban government does not have a practice of refusing foreign aid offered in good faith and for a genuine purpose of cooperation,” while denouncing “the incongruity of the apparent generosity from someone who is subjecting the Cuban people to collective punishment.” Havana accuses Washington of being responsible for the current energy crisis due to the reinforced oil blockade since the beginning of the year, while the United States attributes the country’s difficulties to its internal economic management.
