Cuban Government Sticks to Original Blackout Schedule in Havana Amid Fears of Protests

The Cuban regime has decided to uphold the existing blackout rotation schedule in Havana, opting against implementing new variations, after acknowledging that the national electrical system remains on the brink of collapse. Vicente de la O Levy, Minister of Energy and Mines, stated that the current schedule is "the most effective" and pledged that, given the limited fuel supply, the government will strive to adhere to the established timings, allowing people to "better plan their activities."

"There's a phenomenon that's extremely frustrating," the minister admitted on state television, "which is that we plan the circuit rotations, especially here in Havana, and then we're unable to follow through. This extends the blackout hours and causes discontent." De la O Levy clarified that with the newly distributed fuel in Havana, Matanzas, and Santiago de Cuba, the goal is to maintain the rotation of electrical blocks without introducing changes.

According to him, the power cuts will commence at 10:00 AM, in four-hour blocks, continuing in the afternoon and, if necessary, into the early morning hours. "We tried other variations, but ultimately returned to the original plan, which works best," he asserted. "If followed, it resolves a major issue: our people and all of us are affected, but if we know when the outages will occur, we can plan better. The blackout is bothersome, but adhering to the schedule greatly alleviates the situation."

The minister reiterated that the country is facing a severe fuel shortage and that the National Electrical System (SEN) remains "very fragile," following the sudden shutdown of several thermoelectric plants and the inactivity of over 600 MW of distributed generation due to a lack of diesel. "The fuel won't last all of October," he warned, confirming that the current supply only ensures operations for a few days.

The announcement comes after a week of severe blackouts and protests in several neighborhoods of the capital, where residents have taken to the streets demanding the restoration of service. In municipalities like Centro Habana, Cerro, and Marianao, the clamor of banging pots and cries of "We want light!" have echoed through the most critical nights.

Despite the promise to "comply with schedules," the outages will persist unless the generation availability improves. De la O Levy admitted that the plan merely aims to organize the blackouts, not reduce them, in a country where the lack of electricity and political credibility advance at the same pace.

When Blackouts Were "Bearable"

Recent statements by Vicente de la O Levy on the seriousness of the electrical system contrast starkly with the tone he used less than a year ago when he described the blackouts as "bearable." In May 2024, during a visit to the Felton thermoelectric plant in Holguín, the minister told state television that although power interruptions were "an inconvenience," they were still within "tolerable levels."

At that time, he acknowledged interruptions lasting up to 17 and 18 hours in some provinces but insisted that circuit rotation would allow for "equitable distribution" of the cuts. "The blackout is an inconvenience, of course, but they are reaching levels that are bearable," De la O Levy proclaimed to the local Tele Cristal channel.

The minister attributed the situation to planned maintenance and "logistical problems" in fuel distribution, denying any real shortage of hydrocarbons. "I'm not saying we're short on fuel at the moment," he stated, blaming transportation and maritime diesel delivery challenges.

In the same interview, De la O Levy dismissed "false rumors" about the loss of supplies from allied countries like Venezuela, Mexico, Iran, and Russia, labeling as "ignorance" the information published by independent media and experts about the deterioration of the electrical system. "What they publish is ignorance. We laugh, and we continue working convinced that we will solve it," he said, downplaying external warnings about an imminent collapse of the National Electrical System (SEN).

That rhetoric of denial now faces an unsustainable reality: the minister himself admits that the country lacks sufficient fuel to sustain operations in October and that the SEN is "very weak." The contrast between past discourse and current conditions highlights the profound disconnect between the official narrative and the daily experience of millions of Cubans enduring increasingly prolonged blackouts in a system that is both technically and politically exhausted.