Livania Núñez Ricaño, a mother of three from the Porvenir district in Boyeros, Havana, shared a heartfelt video on Facebook this Tuesday. She passionately highlighted the dire circumstances she faces after leaving the hospital with two of her daughters, who were treated for malnutrition and a virus.
The video was made two days after she was discharged on July 19th, candidly showing the simultaneous collapse of essential services affecting thousands of Cuban families: no electricity, no water, and no way to preserve food.
"I've been in and out of the hospital with my girls more times than I can count. We need to boil water, but there's no time or permission; there's no cold water, and the mosquitoes are huge. I'm constantly cooking with wood," she shared, visibly worn out.
Struggles with Basic Needs
The M1603 electrical circuit, which includes her neighborhood, receives only two hours of power each day. According to Livania, the night before the video was recorded, electricity was available from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Without refrigeration, the only chicken she managed to buy for her daughters spoiled. "Both my daughters were discharged, but they can't eat. The little chicken I could buy has gone bad and will soon have maggots because it can't be cooked properly, and they can't eat it cooked over wood," she lamented.
Cooking with wood has left soot on every meal. "It's pure soot, just pure soot because it's too much, and my kids don't want to eat because the food tastes like soot, like wood," she said, showing her soot-covered hands to the camera.
Electricity Inequality and Social Frustration
Livania also criticized the perceived inequality in electricity distribution: "The sports complexes have generators, panels, everything, right? And we, with children and the elderly, are left to suffer. They don't care at all, not one bit."
Her final words were a collective cry of frustration: "I can't take it anymore. And like me, all Cubans feel the same, but no one wants to speak up because here you can't even speak, because telling the truth is frowned upon."
The video received support from the Movimiento Democracia, Movimiento Opositores por una Nueva República, ARC, and Cuba Decide, organizations that urged the international community and human rights bodies to pay attention to these testimonies.
Widespread Power Outages
Porvenir is among the areas suffering from severe blackouts since July 12, when nearly all Havana circuits went down. In the capital, power cuts average between 15 to 24 hours a day, reaching up to 35 hours in some districts.
Livania's situation is not unique. In June, Ileana Legón Pereira, a mother from Ciego de Ávila, reported that over 22-hour daily blackouts prevented her from using medical equipment for her seriously ill children.
The underlying food crisis is supported by alarming figures: according to the Food Monitor Program, 96.91% of Cubans lacked adequate food access as of April 2026, and 33.9% of households had at least one member going to bed hungry. Deaths due to malnutrition rose by 74% from 2022 to 2023, as per the National Office of Statistics.
"How long will this go on, with not even three or four hours of electricity? How long, how long?" Livania concluded her plea with a question that captures the exhaustion of an entire nation.
Understanding Cuba's Current Crisis
What are the main issues faced by Cuban families during this crisis?
Cuban families are struggling with frequent power outages, lack of water, and an inability to preserve food, leading to malnutrition and heightened frustration.
How have power outages impacted daily life in Havana?
In Havana, power outages can last between 15 to 24 hours daily, disrupting daily activities, spoiling food, and creating hazardous living conditions.
What support has Livania's video received?
The video has been endorsed by several organizations, including Movimiento Democracia and Cuba Decide, who are calling for international attention to these issues.