Between September 15 and 26, 2026, the provincial courts of Pinar del Río, Sancti Spíritus, and Holguín sentenced 11 individuals for crimes against Cuba's National Electric System (NES), according to a report from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) broadcasted on state-run Canal Caribe.
The charges primarily involved theft of dielectric oil from transformers and the pilfering of screws, washers, and nuts meant for solar panel installations.
MININT noted that, in most instances, those involved had legitimate access to the facilities due to their employment. These included operators of photovoltaic parks, warehouse personnel, and distribution managers who exploited their positions to gradually take, hide, transport, and sell the resources.
The most significant case took place in Moa, Holguín, where seven individuals stole 1,248 liters of dielectric oil from the Moa Nueva substation during two nocturnal operations on March 12 and 13, 2026.
Four young men from the Punta Gorda neighborhood were involved in the oil extraction, while three people traveling from Sancti Spíritus assisted with transportation and purchased part of the stolen goods.
The transportation was conducted using a state-owned truck. The next day, the truck owner paid the ringleader 960,000 Cuban pesos, which was then divided among the four main perpetrators.
This theft resulted in a short circuit in the B-phase of the transformer, leading to a structural explosion that permanently disabled the equipment, cutting off power to 6,184 homes and disrupting the secondary power supply to Moa's territorial hospital.
The economic damage to the Moa Electric Company was estimated at 138,054.49 Cuban pesos.
The court sentenced the seven individuals involved in the Moa case to 12 to 15 years in prison and ordered the confiscation of a vehicle, money, and other assets.
In Pinar del Río, Yoelvys Álvarez Gavilán received a 12-year prison sentence for stealing screws and fittings from the La Barbarita solar park in Consolación del Sur.
In Holguín, on September 15, a 19-year-old was sentenced to eight years for continuous sabotage at the El Zarzal substation in Urbano Noris municipality, while his 33-year-old uncle received a 10-year sentence. This theft left over 4,000 customers without electricity for more than 24 hours.
These trials are part of the Cuban regime's ongoing judicial crackdown. Authorities reported that from 2025 to mid-2026, over 460 criminal investigations were launched regarding crimes against the electrical grid, with more than 300 related to dielectric oil theft across all 15 provinces and 97 municipalities.
The regime has intensified penalties for electrical sabotage through the Supreme People's Court's Ruling 475, issued in May 2025, directing courts to classify these acts under Article 125 of the Penal Code, with sentences ranging from seven to 30 years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty in aggravated cases.
Vicente de la O Levy, the Minister of Energy and Mines, acknowledged before the National Assembly in July 2026 that dielectric oil theft occurs "daily" and that the volume stolen is "nearly comparable" to Cuba's production during the same period.
Understanding Crimes Against Cuba's National Electric System
What were the main crimes committed against the National Electric System?
The main crimes included the theft of dielectric oil from transformers and the stealing of components like screws, washers, and nuts intended for solar panel installations.
Who were primarily involved in these crimes?
Most of those involved had legitimate access to the facilities, such as operators of photovoltaic parks, warehouse staff, and distribution managers who used their positions to facilitate the thefts.
What were the consequences of the oil theft in Moa?
The theft caused a short circuit and structural explosion of a transformer, leading to a power outage affecting 6,184 homes and the secondary power supply to Moa's hospital.
How has the Cuban government responded to these crimes?
The government has increased penalties for electrical sabotage, with new guidelines allowing for sentences ranging from seven to 30 years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty in severe cases.