Lázaro Guerra Hernández, the general director of Electricity at Cuba's Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM), encountered a health scare during a live television broadcast last Wednesday. He was delivering his routine update on power outages for the day.
During the live broadcast on Canal Caribe, around the 5:40 mark, Guerra Hernández began discussing the status of the floating power plants with journalist Bernardo Espinosa when he suddenly showed signs of distress. He appeared to struggle with his breathing, signaling an apparent shortness of breath.
Without warning, the MINEM official gestured and called out to someone off-camera, clutching his chest before abruptly leaving the broadcast without any explanation. In his absence, Bernardo Espinosa temporarily took over, attempting to fill the gap.
The broadcast continued without interruption, and a few minutes later, Lázaro Guerra returned to the screen seemingly recovered and resumed the day's energy report. Neither Guerra nor the journalist provided any clarification regarding the incident, but it certainly did not go unnoticed.
The unexpected event sparked a series of comments, such as: "That man is under immense stress, having to tell so many lies to the people every day is taking its toll"; "Lazarito nearly had a heart attack on live TV from lying so much"; "Lázaro couldn't handle it"; "Lázaro almost collapsed"; "Ohhh, Lázaro doesn’t look well."
This incident occurred amidst widespread power outages across the country, which have also affected Havana. As usual, MINEM officials cite fuel shortages, breakdowns in generating units, and scheduled maintenance at thermoelectric plants as the primary reasons for the severe power disruptions.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement regarding what happened to the engineer and MINEM director. While Lázaro Guerra did present the update the following day, he did not appear for the Friday report.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lázaro Guerra's Health Incident
What happened to Lázaro Guerra during the live broadcast?
Lázaro Guerra appeared to have a health issue, showing signs of difficulty breathing and then leaving the broadcast abruptly.
Did Lázaro Guerra return to the broadcast?
Yes, he returned a few minutes later, seemingly recovered, and continued with the energy report.
Was there any official statement about Lázaro Guerra's condition?
As of now, there has been no official statement regarding the incident.