Yandira González Vilar, a Cuban mother residing in Chicago, has broken her silence through a Facebook video that has garnered over 20,000 views. She expresses her deep concern as she has not received any messages from her son in Cuba for four days, since Monday at six in the evening, leaving her sleepless with worry.
"How do I tell my heart that I can't hear from my son? I can't even sleep. It's been four days without sleep because my phone doesn't ring to tell me, 'Mom, I'm okay,'" she tearfully states in the video. "This has nothing to do with politics; we are desperate mothers who are in the dark about our children's well-being."
The Crisis in Cuba: More Than Just a Communication Breakdown
Her account highlights the ongoing crisis on the island: "First, we were without electricity and medicine. Now, it's been over four days without communication," she summarizes in the footage.
The Telecommunications Company of Cuba (ETECSA) acknowledged back in July 2026 that power outages disable 47.5% of their radio bases and 56.5% of cabinets nationwide, as they depend heavily on the national power grid.
Severe Energy and Communication Challenges
The first week of September was particularly severe. On the 5th, the electric system's maximum impact reached 2,396 MW, and on the 9th, it hit 2,292 MW, resulting in extended outages in Havana and Holguín.
Along with these deficits, ETECSA faced its own technical failures. On September 2nd, the company reported a malfunction that disrupted SMS services across Cuba and halted Transfermóvil for several hours. Shortly after, the Isla de la Juventud was completely disconnected from mobile services due to damages in its two connection routes with the national network.
A Repeated Summer of Frustration
This is not the first summer that Cuban families have experienced such distress. In August, Cuban mothers described this season as "the worst summer" due to the energy crisis, inflation, food shortages, and lack of communication.
Yandira González Vilar claims to speak on behalf of those Cuban women: "I'm raising my voice for all the mothers on the other side of the world who don't know about their children. How long will this go on?"
Understanding Cuba's Communication and Energy Crisis
What is causing the communication breakdown in Cuba?
The communication issues are largely due to power outages that affect ETECSA's infrastructure, as well as technical failures within the company itself.
How are Cuban families affected by these issues?
Cuban families are facing increased anxiety and distress due to the inability to communicate with their loved ones, compounded by other crises such as energy shortages and inflation.
Has this situation happened before in Cuba?
Yes, similar situations have occurred before, with past summers also being marked by energy crises, inflation, and communication breakdowns.