A resident of Santa Fe in Playa, Havana, has captured widespread attention on social media after releasing a video that starkly highlights the harsh realities faced by countless Cuban families: living without water, electricity, and enduring increasing food shortages.
Vilma Guerra's video, uploaded on Facebook on July 27, has amassed over 85,000 views, drawing thousands of reactions and supportive comments from users across various provinces.
Recorded in her home, located between 314 and 316 streets, Guerra conveys the severity of the situation. "I don't usually speak out on Facebook or anything like that, but this is too much. No water, no electricity, no food. How long can this go on?" she questions at the start of her video.
Escalating Frustration Over Living Conditions
As the video progresses, her message becomes increasingly impassioned. "This can't go on any longer. It's too much; it's criminal. We're not camels. We're not camels. This is unbearable," she insists.
A particularly impactful moment in the video is when Guerra expresses her indifference to potential repercussions for speaking out. "I don't care what happens to me afterward. It's all the same to me. You only die once. If I need to take up a machete like Antonio Maceo, then I will," she declares.
Impact on the Youngest
Guerra also highlights the crisis's toll on children. "Kids can't watch cartoons on TV. Kids don't have vacations. It's a sad and painful dog life we lead here," she laments.
She directly holds the government accountable for the population's plight, coinciding with a crisis affecting much of Havana. In July 2026, more than 500,000 residents of the city were without regular access to potable water, a significant increase from the approximately 200,000 affected in April and the 376,055 in May.
Water Crisis in Havana
The situation is exacerbated because nearly 87% of the capital's water supply system relies on electric pumping stations, meaning prolonged power outages also disrupt water delivery.
Aguas de La Habana acknowledged specific issues in high-altitude areas of Santa Fe due to malfunctions in the Cangrejera 1 system and power outages. In response to the emergency, authorities have dispatched water trucks to some municipalities, while the cost of hiring a private water truck has soared to between 18,000 and 50,000 Cuban pesos.
Comments on the video reveal that these issues extend beyond Havana. Users from Banes, Marianao, Alamar, Las Tunas, Bejucal, and San Antonio de los Baños reported similar issues, with weeks or even months without a steady water supply.
Personal Struggles Amid National Crisis
Hours after posting the video, Guerra shared another message on Facebook, revealing that in addition to facing basic service crises, she has been awaiting surgery for a tumor for six months. "Hospitals have collapsed; there's a lack of medical supplies for my surgery, and the minister has banned operations like mine. It's all been exhausting, fighting, spending what I don't have, all for nothing. I've visited many hospitals in Havana, and the answer is the same: you have to wait. That's why people here die," she wrote.
Her story echoes the broader crisis in the Cuban healthcare system. By May 2026, over 94,000 patients were on waiting lists for surgeries, with tens of thousands of operations postponed due to a lack of resources and supplies.
Among the hundreds of comments her post received, one summed up the sentiment shared by many Cubans who resonate with her plight: "If you consider yourself crazy, then there are nine million crazy people with you."
Understanding Havana's Water and Power Crisis
What are the main causes of the water crisis in Havana?
The water crisis in Havana is primarily caused by a dependence on electric pumping stations, which are disrupted by frequent power outages, leaving many residents without regular water access.
How has the Cuban government responded to the shortages?
In response to the shortages, the Cuban government has deployed water trucks to some areas, although many residents still face significant challenges in accessing water and other basic services.
What impact has the crisis had on healthcare in Cuba?
The crisis has severely impacted healthcare, with hospitals facing shortages of medical supplies and resources, leading to postponed surgeries and prolonged waiting lists for patients.