A Cuban woman living abroad, known on TikTok as Thalía La Cubanita (@thaliamazola), was moved to tears as she shared her helplessness after her mother, who resides in Cuba, asked her to stop sending food due to the persistent power outages that make food preservation nearly impossible.
Thalía expressed her anguish in a TikTok video, revealing the desperate situation her family faces on the island. Overcome with emotion, she recounted how she had sent her mother a package containing chicken and beef, only to receive a heartbreaking response: her mother requested that she refrain from sending perishable goods because, without electricity, they would spoil.
This situation has left Thalía feeling powerless. Despite being outside of Cuba and financially able to assist her family, she is confronted with the harsh reality that her efforts are often in vain against the overwhelming challenges her loved ones endure.
"I'm tied up because I have to continue my life and help her, but even if I assist, she can't buy the food, she has nowhere to store it," she tearfully expressed.
Thalía also questioned the dire conditions Cubans face, particularly those dealing with prolonged power outages that complicate even the most basic daily tasks. "How long are we going to live like this, like dogs? How long, how long?" she lamented, unable to hide her frustration.
Overwhelmed by worry and unable to find a solution for her mother, Thalía felt compelled to share her feelings. "I don't know what else to do. I'm going to have a heart attack, something's going to happen to me. I need to talk to someone and express what I'm feeling," she added.
Her testimony comes amidst a severe energy crisis in Cuba, where blackouts last for hours and sometimes days in certain areas. On Thursday, the Electric Union forecasted an availability of just 790 MW against a demand of 2,820 MW, with the previous day's maximum impact reaching 1,928 MW in the National Electric System.
The situation is particularly challenging in some provinces. The Cienfuegos Electric Company reported continuous blackouts ranging from 70 to 89 hours in certain circuits, while in Holguín, outages have been reported to exceed 42 hours.
Faced with these difficulties, the methods of providing aid from abroad have also changed. From Miami and other cities, many Cubans have chosen to send non-perishable goods, stoves, and equipment to cope with the blackouts, rather than food requiring refrigeration.
For Thalía, however, the most painful aspect is knowing that even though she can send food to her mother, the conditions in Cuba prevent that help from being utilized as intended. This harsh reality prompted her to share her tears, frustration, and concern for her family's well-being.
Understanding the Cuban Energy Crisis
What are the main causes of the ongoing energy crisis in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba is primarily due to aging infrastructure, lack of investment in energy resources, and governmental mismanagement. These issues have led to frequent and prolonged power outages.
How are Cubans abroad adapting their support to family members in Cuba?
Many Cubans living abroad are adjusting their aid by sending non-perishable goods, cooking equipment, and other resources that can help their families endure the blackouts, instead of perishable food items.