Life in the Dark: Blackouts in Cuba

Every day in Cuba lives many people under the threat of darkness. Recently, the situation became even worse. On December 3, 2025, a major collapse of the electrical grid left Havana and much of western Cuba without power.

The blackout was not an isolated event. For months, Cuba has been suffering from frequent and long power outages. The country’s electricity infrastructure is old and poorly maintained. Many power plants depend on imported fuel — and shortages of fuel and spare parts, combined with damage from recent weather events, have reduced their output.

As a result, much of the island sometimes receives only half — or even less — of the electricity it needs. On some days, entire neighborhoods can be without electricity for 10–20 hours or more.

The consequences for ordinary people are severe. Without electricity, water pumps stop working and families may go without running water. Cooking, preserving food, studying, working or simply staying warm becomes much harder. Businesses, hospitals, schools and public services suffer too.

For many Cubans, the blackout is more than an inconvenience — it undermines their everyday life, their safety and their dignity. Even when power is restored, the recurring uncertainty remains.

It is hard to imagine living like this: not knowing when the lights will come back on, hoping your food does not spoil, worrying about water or medicine — and still trying to build a life.

It’s important that the world hears about this, and that solidarity reaches those who live these difficult conditions day after day.