A young Cuban woman, Lia Benítez, shared a heart-wrenching video on Instagram, tearfully revealing that her neighborhood has been without electricity for over 35 hours, experiencing power for only two or three hours every other day. She describes this situation as "inhumane and abusive."
In the video, captured amidst tears and visible exhaustion, Benítez expresses being in a "full-blown anxiety crisis at an extreme level," feeling that her body and mind can no longer endure. "What we're living in this country is the greatest psychological torment in history," she declares, her voice breaking.
Benítez, who identifies as the head of her family with two university degrees and no family abroad, laments that the power outages prevent her from working and earning a living. "What's the point of having two university degrees if I can't work? I can't earn my salary, my money, I can't do anything," she states.
One of the most telling moments in her testimony is when Benítez criticizes that during Miguel Díaz-Canel's visit to San José de las Lajas, circuits 6 and 8 had uninterrupted electricity for over eight hours, while the rest of the area remained powerless. When questioning an official over the phone about how a circuit could remain on for so long amid general outages, she received a vague response about "circuit inconveniences, rotations, and so forth." Her complaint highlights the regime's tactic of ensuring power supply during official visits.
Benítez also details the harsh conditions of her daily life: she has one meal per day, lacks a sleep schedule, and has to climb to the roof to access the internet. "Look at my dark circles, how deep they are already. I'm young, yet I feel I'm aging each day from the stress consuming me," she points out.
"The world needs to know that young Cubans have every reason to suffer from anxiety, both for their future and mental health, in a country where even eight hours of sleep is a luxury," she wrote in the video's description.
Her message to viewers outside Cuba was blunt: "Be grateful you don't live in this communist misery. Being prepared is useless if you live here; there's no way out, no escape, and no way to survive."
"They're stealing our dreams; they're robbing us of work. I don't know what they want from us anymore. Do they want us to go into the woods, start a fire, and learn to make fire, because that's all we can do," Benítez concluded.
Benítez's account aligns with the fact that nearly 60% of the country's power generating units are out of service, with deficits exceeding 2,000 MW during peak hours against a demand of around 3,150 MW.
The mental health toll on Cubans is scientifically documented. A study published in May about the psychological impact of power outages on 415 Cuban adults revealed that 55.4% suffer from extremely severe depression, 66% from severe anxiety, and 65.8% from extreme stress, with young people being the most vulnerable group.
Understanding the Power Crisis in Cuba
Why are power outages common in Cuba?
Cuba's power outages are primarily due to the aging infrastructure and the inefficiency of the power generation units, with nearly 60% being out of service.
How do power outages affect mental health in Cuba?
Chronic power outages contribute to severe depression, anxiety, and stress among Cubans, with young people being the most affected group.
What actions does Lia Benítez suggest for Cubans living under these conditions?
Lia Benítez highlights the lack of viable options for survival under current conditions and criticizes the regime for its handling of the crisis.