2024 Cuba blackout
The 2024 Cuba blackout is an ongoing total nationwide power outage across Cuba that began on 18 October 2024 due to the failure of the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant. Prior to the shutdown, the Cuban government announced energy-saving measures.[1] The blackout is the most severe energy crisis that the country has experienced since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.[2]
Background
[edit]Blackouts earlier in the year caused widespread protests that where suppressed by force.[3]
Blackout
[edit]The outage began at around 11:00 local time on 18 October, after the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant in Matanzas, the country's largest, went offline.[2] Power was partially restored for a short time before shutting down entirely again on 20 October. By 21 October, state media claimed power had been restored to 50% of customers in Havana.[4]
Impact
[edit]All non-essential public services were suspended starting on 17 October and were to remain closed along with schools until 23 October.[4][5] Dissemination of information related to Hurricane Oscar, which made landfall near Baracoa on 20 October, was interrupted.[6][7]
President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the outage on difficulties in importing fuel and other resources due to "financial and energy persecution" by the United States.[8] However, local authorities blamed the outage on from increased demand from small- and medium-sized companies and residential air conditioners, as well as poor maintenance of the power plants.[9]
Diaz-Canel also stated that any protests to the government's response would not be tolerated and that all protesters would be "processed rigorously under our revolutionary law." Shortly after protests started Diaz-Canel and prime minister Manuel Marrero Cruz appeared on a televised address in military fatigues claiming “counter-revolutionaries from abroad” where fomenting protests in Cuba.[10] Díaz-Canel also stated that "we have organized from the defense councils" and "we are not going to accept and we will not allow anyone to act by provoking vandalistic acts, much less disturbing the peace of our people, and that is a conviction and that is a principle of our revolution"[11]
Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy claimed the outages would end by October 21st or 22nd, however, Hurricane Oscar made landfall in Cuba on the 20th, severely disrupting efforts to restore the grid.[9]
Government celebrations for Cuban Culture Day scheduled for October 21st, 22nd and 23rd where canceled in an effort to reduce strain on the electrical network.[12]
Protests
[edit]Protests erupted hours after the blackout began.[13] Protesters in the Santo Suárez neighborhood of Havana constructed make-shift barricades in the streets. Without electricity Havana's water-pumps cannot operate, nor can food be refrigerated, leaving many residents in a state of "desperation."[9] In an effort to quell protests in Havana the government cut internet access and deployed police formations to clear protesters by force.[14]
In Santiago de Cuba, the focal point of protests earlier in the year during blackouts, large police formations where deployed to deter protesters, however, some residents still took to the streets protesting the lack of electricity.[15]
Protests also took place in Manicaragua, where protesters surrounded the local government headquarters chanting "Down with!" and "Abusers!"[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Robles, Frances (18 October 2024). "Power Outage Plunges All of Cuba Into Darkness". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ a b Grant, Will; Davies, Maia (18 October 2024). "Cuba suffers nationwide blackout after main power plant fails". BBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Sherwood, Dave (18 March 2024). "Protest erupts in eastern Cuba amid blackouts, food shortages". Reuters. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Electricity restored to 50% of Havana after nationwide blackout: Cuba state media". France 24. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Power plant failure triggers blackout across cash-strapped Cuba". France 24. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Oscar becomes a hurricane and is advancing toward Cuba". CiberCuba. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba amid crippling power outage". Al Jazeera. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Cuba forced to 'paralyse economy' amid desperate energy crisis". Al Jazeera. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Rodriguez, Andrea; Duran, Milexsy. "Extended power outage sparked protests in Cuba. Then Hurricane Oscar made landfall". Christian Science Monitor. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Wyss, Jim. "Cuba Warns Against Protests as It Struggles to Restore Power". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Díaz-Canel threatens to repress protests in Cuba following the collapse of the electrical system". CiberCuba. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Díaz-Canel cancels celebrations for Cuban Culture Day due to a general blackout and Hurricane Oscar". CiberCuba. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Pérez, Santiago (18 October 2024). "Cuba Suffers Mass Blackout as Energy Crisis Deepens". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "Protests are growing in Havana on the third night of a general blackout in Cuba". CiberCuba. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Large police deployment in Santiago de Cuba during the third night of total blackout". CiberCuba. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Protests in Manicaragua in front of the government headquarters". CiberCuba. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
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