In the heart of Havana's historic old town, 76-year-old Maria Elena Cárdenas resides in a municipal shelter, her home having collapsed in the city's poorest and oldest neighborhoods. As Cuba grapples with a nationwide power crisis, Maria and her fellow residents find themselves adapting to the challenges, showcasing the island's remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.

Powering Through: Cuba's Ongoing Struggle to Restore Electricity

A Crumbling Infrastructure

The power outages plaguing Cuba have their roots in the country's aging and dilapidated energy infrastructure. The main power station, Antonio Guiteras, built in 1989, is now battered and obsolete, with a retired engineer describing it as "built rotten." The station's scheduled maintenance program was never properly followed, as the government prioritized production over necessary repairs, leading to a system pushed to its limits.

The engineer's harrowing accounts of working with faulty safety equipment and political mismanagement paint a grim picture of the challenges faced by those tasked with keeping the lights on. The government's acknowledgment of the "parlous state" of the system, blaming the 62-year-old US trade embargo, underscores the depth of the crisis.

Reliance on Allies and Renewable Energy

For decades, Cuba's government has relied on the generosity of allies, first Russia and then Venezuela, to maintain its energy supply. However, as these countries face their own economic difficulties, their support has dwindled, leaving Cuba in a precarious position. As one European diplomat aptly described it, "It's like trying to keep a sinking ship afloat with corks."

In a bid to secure its energy future, the government has turned to renewable sources, particularly solar power. However, these efforts have largely failed, as the companies involved have struggled to get paid. The government's deal with a Chinese firm to provide materials for solar farms in exchange for access to Cuba's nickel deposits has raised skepticism, with concerns about the remaining expertise to build such systems.

The Impact on Daily Life

The power outages have had a profound impact on the daily lives of Cubans. Without electricity, basic necessities become a challenge, as Maria Elena Cárdenas and her fellow shelter residents can attest. Cooking with sticks found on the street, struggling to sleep in the heat, and dealing with spoiled food and failing water supplies have become the new normal.

The crisis has also taken a toll on the country's morale, with Julio César Rodríguez, a 52-year-old Cuban, acknowledging that "even when things are bad we laugh, but this is really bad." The lack of protest, beyond the occasional pot-banging, suggests a sense of exhaustion among the population, as the government has made it clear that any "indecent" behavior will be met with a heavy hand.

The Humanitarian Concern

The power crisis has exacerbated existing challenges, leading to a new round of intimidation of journalists and the declaration of four individuals as "prisoners of conscience" by Amnesty International. The potential for a "humanitarian disaster" and an "emigration tsunami" looms large, as the collapse of the regime could have devastating consequences.

As the US academic William LeoGrande argues, the "proponents of regime change should be careful what they wish for." The Biden administration's stance of being "tough" on the Cuban government while supporting the Cuban people may not be enough, as the crisis demands a more comprehensive and compassionate approach to address the country's pressing needs.

Preparing for the Worst

Faced with the prospect of repeated power outages, Cubans like Dariel Ramírez are forced to consider drastic measures. His suggestion to "prepare the Granma yacht" and sail away reflects the desperation and uncertainty that has gripped the island nation.

The resilience and adaptability of the Cuban people have been tested time and again, but the current crisis poses a unique challenge. As the government grapples with the multifaceted issues of infrastructure, energy supply, and social unrest, the future of Cuba hangs in the balance, with the well-being of its citizens at the forefront of the struggle.