Cuba continued to experience a massive blackout on Monday, the fourth night of widespread power outages, largely paralyzing the capital of Havana and leading to minor protests, AP News reports.
Hurricane Oscar, which made landfall on Sunday, has resulted in at least six deaths and prompted small protests in urban areas like Havana, where residents expressed frustration over lack of water and electricity. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued stern warnings against civil unrest, stating that the government would not tolerate disturbances.
The ongoing blackout, which followed a massive outage on Thursday, is part of an ongoing energy crisis in the country. Authorities reported that electricity production was far below peak demand, with power plants struggling to maintain supply. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy announced that electricity was expected to improve by Monday or Tuesday, but many residents were skeptical.
The government implemented emergency measures to reduce electricity demand, including suspending classes and nonessential services. Local authorities cited increased demand and aging infrastructure as contributing factors to the crisis, while the Cuban government blamed the US trade embargo for exacerbating the situation. Nations like Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Russia, had offered to provide assistance.
