The Secret to Speeding Up Bureaucracy in Cuba: The Tale of "Juan"

On Saturday, playwright Irán Capote from Pinar del Río shared a story on his Facebook page. This tale masterfully combines humor, absurdity, and the Cuban reality, drawing from the lived experiences on the island. It tells of "Juan," a citizen who discovered that the ultimate key to navigating bureaucratic red tape isn't patience, early morning starts, or having the right documents—it's owning an EcoFlow.

Capote introduced the narrative with a touch of skepticism and irony, "I heard a story yesterday. Not a fairy tale, but a Cuban one. I can't confirm its truth, but given the bitter and picturesque nature of Cuba, its absurdity and marvel, it could very well be real."

The protagonist, referred to as "Juan" to protect his identity, began his day at the crack of dawn. He traveled from another municipality and waited outside the office until the bureaucrats arrived around 9:00 AM, looking as unwelcoming as ever. At 9:30, Juan approached the desk, submitted his papers, and awaited the judgment. The bureaucrat scrutinized the documents with her glasses perched on the end of her nose, looked at Juan, and repeated this cycle several times. After an awkward silence, she delivered her verdict: "Juan, Juan... dear, to do what you’re asking for, we need electricity. I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back another day or wait until the power returns."

This scenario isn't merely a literary exaggeration. As of October 2026, Cuba's National Electric System is experiencing daily deficits exceeding 1,600 MW, with some areas in Pinar del Río enduring over 90 consecutive hours without power, as acknowledged by the province's Communist Party secretary.

Public offices, reliant on computers and printers and lacking backup power sources, come to a standstill during outages, forcing citizens to return later or wait indefinitely for electricity.

Juan's Ingenious Solution

Yet Juan, as Capote describes, "is from Pinar del Río but no fool." Calmly prepared for the ongoing power crisis, he replied, "Sweetheart, I brought my EcoFlow."

What ensued resembled a sitcom. At the mention of "EcoFlow," a flurry of activity ensued in the office with power strips, phone chargers, and even a rice cooker fetched from the bureaucrat's home to prepare lunch. Juan's paperwork was processed in less than a minute, but he lingered until the rice was cooked and staff phones were fully charged.

In Cuba, "EcoFlow" has become a catch-all term for portable power stations, regardless of brand. These devices, priced between $500 and over $1,150, are financially out of reach for most Cubans and are typically sent by relatives from abroad.

The presence of these power units in public spaces has sparked similar incidents. One market administrator used it to sell chicken during blackouts, and comedian Javier Berridy humorously named a child "EcoFlow Domínguez" who missed school due to a lack of charge.

Grateful and with the rice cooked to perfection, the bureaucrat offered Juan a lifetime of preferential treatment: "Listen, Juan, whenever you need a paper from here, come straight to me, dear. I’ll take care of it. Here’s my contact; give me yours." In the unnamed office, she saved his number under a title that said it all: "Juan Thermoelectric."