Yanet Suárez, a Cuban resident, shared a poignant reflection on Facebook this Wednesday about her daily struggles in Cuba. Her words encapsulate the exhaustion felt by many on the island: facing life without electricity, without gas, and cooking with charcoal.
"I never imagined a future where I'd find myself cooking with charcoal, as if living in a bygone century," Suárez expressed.
She continued, "It's not just about hunger. It's the eerie silence of a powerless refrigerator, the absence of medicines that were once a staple, and the fading memories of cinema and theater."
Suárez also touched upon the pervasive insecurity in public life, stating, "I can't sit in a park without assessing the risk, nor watch TV without seeing confirmation that the country is sinking under the whims of others."
Despite working tirelessly every day of the week, she finds basic necessities still unattainable luxuries. "I work seven days a week, yet basic foods remain a luxury. I'm surviving without hope or a plan, missing that minimal faith needed to envision a future. The future never arrives—only uncertainty does, accompanied by the bitter drip of friends leaving, family departing, and those who pass away," she confessed.
She lamented, "I'm losing people like loose change falling from a torn pocket."
Suárez concluded her post with a rhetorical question: "I don't know if this is living or merely enduring. All I know is that I wake up each day with a lump in my throat and one question: how much longer?"
Many Cubans echoed her sentiments. "It's very tough; we no longer live, we survive," one user replied. Another commented, "Everyone deserves to live with dignity, security, and the hope of a better tomorrow."
The power outages in Cuba show no signs of resolution. On Wednesday, seven thermoelectric units were out of service, with a predicted impact of 1,920 MW. The previous day, areas in Havana and Holguín experienced over twenty consecutive hours without electricity.
The gas shortage has worsened the situation: the state-run company CUPET halted the national distribution of liquefied gas on September 28 due to depleted inventories. Charcoal has become a daily necessity, with prices reaching up to 5,000 Cuban pesos per sack or higher.
At the end of October, Idaneris Aguirre from Isla de la Juventud used nearly identical words to describe her plight. This Wednesday, a psychologist from Pinar del Río pointed out that Cubans resort to cooking with charcoal "when it's affordable," and otherwise rely on firewood.
Cuba's Energy and Economic Struggles
What are the main challenges faced by Cubans due to power outages?
Cubans face numerous challenges including the inability to store food due to powerless refrigerators, lack of access to essential medicines, and disruptions to daily life, such as entertainment and personal safety concerns.
How has the gas shortage affected daily life in Cuba?
The gas shortage has forced many Cubans to rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking, which has added financial strain due to high prices and has further complicated everyday life.
What alternatives are Cubans using for cooking amid the crisis?
In response to the gas shortage, many Cubans are turning to charcoal as an alternative for cooking when affordable, and are using firewood when it is not.