Ray Fernández Criticizes Cuba's Power Outages with Ironic Twist

Cuban troubadour Ray Fernández, a well-known communist supporter and advocate for the regime, took to Facebook on Friday to voice his frustration about the ongoing power outages plaguing Cuba. His post, laden with his characteristic irony, read: "Fidel is Fidel! Raúl is Raúl! And this blackout is beyond words!" This suggests that the electricity crisis has reached an almost unnamable scale—or at least one he chooses not to specify.

The post unleashed a flood of responses from internet users who didn't hesitate to name the power outage directly: "It has a name, it's called Revolution," one user commented. Another was more creative, dubbing it "Roboilusion." A third, more bluntly, declared: "COMMUNISM is the name."

The irony in Fernández's post is particularly striking given his history of not criticizing the regime responsible for the crumbling electrical system. In January 2020, the troubadour publicly identified himself as a "proud communist militant," without any apparent reluctance.

Later that year, in December, President Miguel Díaz-Canel quoted a line from Fernández's song "Cuba por la cuerda floja" on Twitter, signaling a symbolic alignment between the troubadour and the regime. In August 2020, when singer Descemer Bueno criticized the regime from abroad, Fernández dismissed him with disdain: "It's easy to act tough in the U.S., buddy." In January 2021, he composed a poem celebrating Minister of Culture Alpidio Alonso after he assaulted an independent journalist, and in May of the same year, he launched a scathing attack on the San Isidro Movement.

Now, as Cuba faces its most severe electrical crisis on record, Fernández finds himself declaring the blackout "nameless." It's a curious case of selective amnesia for someone who has long been vocal in his support of the government responsible for the failing infrastructure.

The dire reality prompting his complaint is undeniable. On May 13, Cuba experienced a power deficit of 2,153 MW during peak hours, and three days later, 51% of the country was left in the dark simultaneously. In April, Havana endured power cuts lasting over 15 hours daily, while the eastern provinces reported outages lasting 24 hours or more.

One exasperated user extended an invitation to the troubadour: "Want to see a real blackout? Come to the east... you'll quickly find a name for it... and a surname." Historically, power cuts in Cuba's interior provinces have been far more severe than those in the capital.

The National Electro-Energetic System has collapsed seven times over a year and a half, and in May 2026, 70% of the country was affected simultaneously. The causes are well-known: outdated infrastructure, fuel shortages, and decades of underinvestment—the very issues Fernández prefers not to name.

Another commenter summed up the frustration of those living outside the Island: "It's because of things like this that I won't go back to Cuba—I don't want to get arrested: I shout, they lock me in my house or put me on a plane." Fidel was Fidel. Raúl was Raúl. And this blackout, despite the troubadour's reluctance to admit it, has a name, a surname, and more than six decades of history.