With a sharp wit reminiscent of a flint, a Cuban designer who ventured into independent work detailed on Friday how the island's energy and water crisis has turned his professional routine into a prehistoric survival ordeal.
L Eduardo Domínguez took to Facebook to share an extensive and ironically humorous account that begins with a confession and ends with him offering his services through "smoke signals or carrier pigeons."
"When I decided to leave my government job over a year ago, it was to dedicate 100% of my time to my independent design project. However, since January, my life has taken a complete turn," Domínguez writes. For him, connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity in his field: "Receiving information, sending drafts, exchanging files, and delivering completed projects isn't a whim; it's the raw material." Unfortunately, this raw material is as scarce as electricity.
The outcome is a workday that starts when most people are asleep. "Right now, for instance, I work at dawn. Usually between 12:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. It's the only time when there's enough connection to open WhatsApp, send a test PNG, or dispatch a compressed file with originals and PDFs."
The accompanying photo — taken at four in the morning from what he sarcastically calls "his cave" — shows a dark city, with the silhouette of the Memorial José Martí in the Plaza of the Revolution in the distance.
Finishing the workday doesn't mean rest. The lack of continuous refrigeration results in a relentless "hunting" effort: "Without consistent refrigeration, you're forced to hunt daily to prevent food from spoiling in the fridge. Hunting has become an odyssey due to the tributes imposed by collectors, after passing through the hands of other resellers, and always calculated at the gold exchange rate."
Washing clothes requires guerrilla tactics as well: "If you're already resting your head on the pillow and the app alerts you that the power's back, you jump up with gunk in your eyes, basin and detergent in hand, to start the washing machine." The conclusion is stark: "You don't plan; the contingency plans all your routines."
Domínguez acknowledges that his exhausting situation isn't the most extreme. In some communities, residents fetch water in buckets from rivers or purchase it from carts brought from distant places — a reality confirmed by data: around 2.7 million Cubans either lack water in their homes or receive it intermittently. Meanwhile, the price of cooking charcoal has skyrocketed into several thousand Cuban pesos.
The narrative grows darker when addressing the most vulnerable. "The elderly [...] are now the primary sacrifices. We're experiencing firsthand that ancient tradition of ice-bound peoples, where elders would silently walk into the blizzard to avoid being a burden during hard times," laments the designer.
He also reflects on how children aren't spared from this turmoil: they work from a young age to contribute to the household, "just as my father had to back in the days of Batista." For Domínguez, "life on this island feels like an endless cycle repeating the same empty promises."
The dire electrical context framing this testimony is harsh. On Friday, Cuba's power generation availability was a mere 1,030 MW against a demand of 2,850 MW, with a maximum estimated shortfall of 1,850 MW. Throughout 2026, there have been eight total national blackouts, with daily generation deficits often exceeding 2,000 MW.
The energy crisis also affects telecommunications: ETECSA has admitted that prolonged blackouts can render up to 45% of mobile radio bases and over 55% of telecommunications cabinets out of service.
Domínguez concludes his post with a sardonic applause that permeates throughout: he claims to have acquired "new knowledge": "megawatts, radio bases, pressure hoses, boilers, thermoelectrics, and primitive techniques for food preservation, water extraction, and alternative fuels."
The designer finishes with a dedication to the regime's leadership: "Our leaders should feel satisfied and proud: they have managed to elevate the people to the next evolutionary level. Thanks for everything."
Understanding Cuba's Energy and Water Crisis
What challenges are Cuban designers facing due to the crisis?
Cuban designers face disrupted routines due to scarce electricity and connectivity, forcing them to work at unusual hours and struggle with basic tasks like refrigeration and laundry.
How does the energy crisis affect everyday life in Cuba?
The energy crisis leads to frequent blackouts, affecting telecommunications, and forcing residents to adapt to unreliable power and water supplies, impacting daily activities and livelihoods.
What is the impact on vulnerable populations in Cuba?
Vulnerable groups, like the elderly and children, are severely affected, with elders often sacrificing their needs and children working to support their families amidst the crisis.