Power outages, food shortages trigger social unrest in Cuba

[Michie]

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Prolonged power outages and food shortages triggered protests in Cuba in different cities on March 17. Layman Osvaldo Gallardo and Catholic priest Father Alberto Reyes shared with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the causes of this latest crisis in the island nation.

“In Cuba there have been power outages throughout the history of the Cuban Revolution [since the 1960s], because the system has never had sustained economic development that would have made a suitable grid possible,” Gallardo told ACI Prensa on March 18.

The infrastructure for electricity production in Cuba includes eight old plants along with backup generators and eight offshore floating plants, all of them impacted by the shortage of diesel fuel necessary for their operation.

Gallardo, a religious freedom activist who lived for more than 40 years in Cuba and currently resides in Miami, said that in addition to the electricity shortage people are going hungry, as “there are no supplies to distribute to the population.”

Continued below.

Power outages, food shortages trigger social unrest in Cuba

Layman Osvaldo Gallardo and Catholic priest Father Alberto Reyes shared with ACI Prensa the causes of this latest crisis in the island nation.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[joymercy]

@Michie thanks, this is interesting, as we often hear about this very thing in the States...I am wondering that if there is not electricity for cooking, if its possible to cook using fire and fire wood? maybe access to a local solar powered generator? People working in teams or groups to help each other, such as fishing and then distributing the fish?

 

[Michie]

@Michie thanks, this is interesting, as we often hear about this very thing in the States...I am wondering that if there is not electricity for cooking, if its possible to cook using fire and fire wood? maybe access to a local solar powered generator? People working in teams or groups to help each other, such as fishing and then distributing the fish?

You can definitely cook over firewood. I do hope people have banded together to help one another but given human nature…people often go into poaching/hoarding mode.

 

[joymercy]

You can definitely cook over firewood. I do hope people have banded together to help one another but given human nature…people often go into poaching/hoarding mode.

Yes, that's the concern. I also was wondering if the area trees can actually be utilized as they may not burn well due to being tropical? I was thinking through all of these things. Is there/are there coconuts, figs trees and other trees with available fruits?
I have no idea....

 

[Michie]

Yes, that's the concern. I also was wondering if the area trees can actually be utilized as they may not burn well due to being tropical? I was thinking through all of these things. Is there/are there coconuts, figs trees and other trees with available fruits?
I have no idea....

Neither do I except I do know there are certain types of wood that will burn if you nurse it. Not sure how that would work with the native trees in the area. Palms would be excellent fuel though if you are trying to get the wood to burn though.

 

[Michie]

Initiative affirms Cubans are ready to transition to democracy

The Cuba Decides initiative is calling on the international community to support the country’s peaceful transition to democracy.

www.catholicnewsagency.com