The oil embargo is causing severe transport problems, high inflation and a critical shortage of materials. Power cuts in particular — lasting up to ten hours a day in Havana, and even longer in rural areas — are taking a heavy toll on the population. The sanctions mean that the ageing power stations can no longer be maintained, forcing engineers to constantly improvise.
Despite the poverty and frustration, Lopez believes that the majority of Cubans hold the US responsible for the crisis and continue to support the revolution. In Cuba, there is open debate about the country’s future, and Lopez considers the political system to be democratic, partly due to extensive public consultations such as those on the progressive Family Code in 2022, which was approved by referendum.
