Cuba Faces Nationwide Blackout Amid Ongoing Power Struggles
Nationwide Blackout Hits Cuba
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Havana, Aug 3: Cuba has experienced another widespread blackout, as reported by the National Electric Union.
The union announced via social media that the national power grid suffered a complete disconnection at 22:43 local time (0243 GMT) on Sunday.
On Saturday, a partial failure of the National Electric System left several western provinces without power, according to reports from a news agency.
The ongoing challenges in Cuba's energy sector are attributed to difficulties in importing fuel and maintaining aging power plants, exacerbated by US sanctions, the statement indicated.
Since October 2024, the island has faced numerous nationwide blackouts due to failures in power facilities, hurricanes, and other contributing factors.
On August 1, the National Electric Union reported a partial collapse affecting regions from Matanzas to Pinar del Rio, which occurred at 18:07 local time on Saturday, caused by transmission line failures.
In a brief social media update, the union confirmed that the incident transpired between Matanzas and Pinar del Rio at 6:07 p.m. local time (2207 GMT) due to issues with transmission lines.
Earlier in July, a comprehensive report from the US State Department accused the Cuban government of being instrumental in fostering "America's most notable extremist movements" and operating espionage networks within the US.
The Cuban government dismissed the report, asserting that it perpetuates a misleading narrative aimed at justifying the long-standing aggressive policies of Washington towards the island.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel criticized the report on social media, labeling it as the work of "one of the most corrupt officials in the current administration, linked to drug traffickers and terrorists in Florida."
Diaz-Canel emphasized that the decades-long US embargo and the recent fuel restrictions are strategies designed to incite discontent among Cubans against their revolutionary government.