The energy crisis in Cuba is worsening, now hitting Isla de la Juventud with full force. The government's response has been to implement stringent measures to counteract fuel shortages and the collapse of the electrical system.
Radio Caribe, the official broadcaster, announced on Facebook that these measures come "under the directive of the highest authorities of the country and the region." The statement acknowledges a "complex situation" with fuel supplies, leading to power outages lasting up to four hours every 24-hour period, following a 4x4 scheme.
The situation could deteriorate further, with potential for increased outages depending on fuel reserves. In the Cocodrilo community, the power cut will be fixed from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Impact on Daily Life and Economy
The restrictions extend beyond just electricity. The regime has called for adjustments in work schedules, retaining only "essential administrative personnel" and implementing remote work wherever possible. Additionally, all administrative buildings will experience a complete halt in electricity service from Friday through Sunday.
Public transportation is also severely affected. Major routes such as Gerona-La Fe, Gerona-La Demajagua, and Gerona-Argelia-Victoria will operate only if fuel is available. Cocodrilo will see its service reduced to once a week. The ferry Perseverancia's operations will be limited to one or two weekly trips, contingent on diesel availability and coordination with Batabanó.
Broader Impacts on Society
Commerce, education, and daily life are not spared from these measures. Stores will adjust their hours based on power availability, while recreational areas and bars will remain closed until fuel supplies are restored. Educational institutions will send students home, halting internal operations until normalcy returns.
The announcement also details a complete halt of all investments in sectors like electricity, agriculture, and fishing, among others. Political and administrative control is tightening, with orders to enhance media and political organization efforts to "promote saving awareness." Daily energy councils are planned to assess consumption and identify "violations," with severe consequences for non-compliance.
Political Accountability and Public Reaction
While the regime emphasizes "saving" and "awareness," these measures highlight the failure of a system that has left the nation without energy, transportation, or basic living conditions. The population bears the brunt, enduring over 20-hour blackouts, food shortages, halted production, and increasingly oppressive surveillance, while political leaders fail to provide real solutions.
This comes after Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted that Cuba has returned to the harshest times of the Special Period. In a lengthy televised address, he confessed that since December 2025, Venezuelan oil has ceased to arrive, creating a "deep" and unsolvable energy crisis in the short term. He stated that the country must enforce "restrictive" measures to manage fuel shortages and "promote saving" to sustain essential activities.
The plan revisits the "zero option" strategy initially devised by Fidel Castro, now adapted to the current climate. The regime attempts to justify the collapse by blaming external factors while appealing to the people's perpetual sacrifice. However, the reality is that decades of dependency, mismanagement, corruption, and lack of investment have led to this situation.
Outdated thermoelectric plants, agriculture without diesel, and an almost paralyzed industry are not the citizens' fault but the result of a system that has failed to provide the most basic necessities: electricity, food, and transportation.
In Isla de la Juventud, as in the rest of the country, the newly imposed restrictions are not a solution but a symptom of a failed model that only knows how to respond to crises with more control, more cuts, and more rhetoric, leaving people to survive in darkness.
Understanding the Energy Crisis in Cuba
What measures are being implemented in Isla de la Juventud to address the energy crisis?
The government has imposed strict measures such as rotating power outages, adjustments in work schedules, reduced public transportation services, and complete shutdowns of administrative buildings on weekends.
How are these measures affecting daily life on the island?
These measures are significantly impacting daily life, including restricted store hours, closures of recreational areas, disruption of educational activities, and increased social and economic stress on residents.
Why is the energy crisis in Cuba so severe?
The crisis stems from long-term issues such as dependency on external oil supplies, outdated infrastructure, mismanagement, corruption, and a lack of investment in energy resources.