The electricity situation in Camaguey city is now becoming a very serious matter. My wife, Yudith, has been telling me that everyone in our barrio is only receiving perhaps 2 hours of electricity a day - and that's on a GOOD DAY! Yesterday, the electricity came back on after being off for 36 hours straight. The lack of Venezuelan oil is now taking hold. And it appears that no more oil from Mexico will be the new normal too - a tanker was due to leave port in Mexico 2 days ago, but that was halted due to pressure from the orange guy. I've read that there's also plans to surround Cuba soon with a naval blockade to prevent oil tankers from other nations reaching Cuban ports.

I've told my wife to go and buy as much gasoline now as she can to stockpile for the generator. It's just a matter of time before there'll be absolutely NO electricity at all! And of course, no gasoline available either. Remember, this is the situation in Camaguey city - and I've heard for elsewhere within the interior too. I'm not sure how these latest developments are going to affect the all inclusive resorts on the coasts. But this new reality is going to bite into them too eventually, I'm sure. Terry

Hi, Terry. I have a trip set up departing from Calgary on Sunday to spend a week in Havana. Of course, I have been poking around the Web and came across your excellent material. This thread was particularly worrisome. I know that there is a lot of pressure on Cuba and I know that if it continues, it will fail but my thinking is that Havana will be the last to go. So I and my brother in law will be spending the week of February first to February eighth in havana for our first visit. Any suggestions about that?

Power outages in Havana are also getting worse. My first week or so here the outages were between 6-8 hours. Lately it has been around 12. We even had a couple of days of 18 hours without electricity. And as you mentioned Terry, there doesn't seem to be any hope on the horizon. Cuba needs more oil coming in, not less. I'm keeping an eye on things and am just taking things one day at a time. I have been looking at flights to Mexico if I need to clear out of here. And Havana is better off than the rest of Cuba. I can't imagine being anywhere else in the country right now.

I didn't see you post Lenbabin before I posted. Are you staying in a hotel or a casa? Most hotels have back up generators and some casas do as well. You should be fine for your trip. I'm concerned about the end of February and into March if a new supplier of oil is not found. Keep an eye on the news and this site for updates.

lenbabin, on my recent trip to Havana and Jibacoa, I stayed in hotels and did not have any electrical issues at all. Also, although it seemed quieter than what I have been used to in previous years, I had a splendid time eating well, drinking and sightseeing in Havana. The future is looking rough indeed. I am keeping an eye on what Cuba's friends will do. It's too bad that the worse rendition of uncle sam since well before Dick Nickson is resorting to extortion tactics but it is certainly no surprise either, considering the reality tv star who is driving the golf cart. It's an anxious wait and see for now. I am considering a return to Cuba before the winter is over but as of now, it is a slim chance.

¡Buen viaje!

Our plan was to take a Cuba trip at the end of March. Nothing has been booked yet. The continual problems facing Cubans is insane. One after another. Now even tourism is in jeopardy again just like during the pandemic. We will continue to try and support Cuba and avoid u s a like the plague it has become. What is the slogan? Cuba es unica!!

hostel DeLuca, Havana.

Hello SimonT. I can't seem to stick the reply on the end of your comment and so I'm trying this. You asked where we were staying. The answer is Hostal de Luca.

Hostal de Luca in Vedado? That is my neck of the woods when I am in Havana.

Make sure to visit these places that are near to your casa...

A great spot for lunch...

El Vampirito

Visit John at John Lennon park...


And stop in for a cocktail (currently only open Friday and Saturday nights) at my favourite neighbourhood bar...

Madrigal Bar Café

Any more recommendations... Just ask!

I wonder if lenbabin is off to Havana tomorrow?
I did a check on the Westjet flight out of Toronto tomorrow to Havana and ultra-basic (no carry-on or checked luggage) fare can be had for $287.84 return..My goodness what a price!

Sorry that we have steered your thread in a different direction Terry. Keep us updated on what they are saying in Camaguey.

Hey! Hey! Wess! No hay problema. I like it when threads veer off in different directions - that's to be expected. And that's when we all can learn about other things that are somewhat directly or indirectly related to the topic at hand.

Case in point - yesterday at around 6:30pm, my wife Yudith had to tell me that our electricity generator was no longer working. She couldn't get it to start to save her life no matter what she tried. And by that time, it was dark there too so she couldn't see anything to even try to get more creative with cleaning the air filter, the fuel filter, or perhaps changing the oil. But this morning at 8:00am, she had a technician visit our casa to help repair that valuable generator of ours. It turned out that the inside of that generator was just caked in dirt everywhere... the reason why it wouldn't start. The technician cleaned the air filter, the fuel filter, changed the oil, and just gave it a complete clean-up inside too, and low and behold, it started right up without a hitch. Back in business now! The technician charged us 10,000 CUP for that - money well spent. Yudith then ran off on her motorina to buy more gasoline - we're trying to absolutely FILL that garage of ours to the ceiling with large jugs of gasoline before she's told at the gas station that there's just nothing left. Given the recent news - that day will be coming very soon. I've told her - BUY! BUY! BUY! Don't even ask me if it's OK - just GO and buy as much more gasoline as possible with her credit card, whenever possible. Terry

I haven't had much internet over the last few days. I'll post some new information on my experiences here soon. Hope Len dressed warm for his arrival to Havana. It was 14 degrees today and very windy. I had my jacket and toque on while strolling around. Glad your wife was able to have the generator repaired Terry. My people have a battery with a power inverter. It doesn't have the wattage of a generator, but it doesn't require fuel, just re-charging. Power was out today for about 12 hours.

It really feels like things have taken a difficult turn lately. Moments like this remind us how important it is to stay calm, support one another, and look for practical solutions instead of losing hope. Tough times don’t last forever.

noraselene, the good folks of Cuba are famous for getting through somehow.

I have been back almost 2 weeks now. My trip was mostly in Havana. I had no shortages of electro, food, drink or entertainment. A great trip overall.
My buddy just returned from a couple of weeks in Santiago. Different story for him. His hotel had constant power outages, a dirty pool and only baloney sandwiches for dinner. He was not impressed to say the least. His city hotel was only a 2 star mind you.

Only a 2 star?? Gawd! These days, under the current conditions there in Cuba, that 2 star translates to being a NO STAR now. Years ago I would stay at the Mayanabo at Playa Santa Lucia north of Camaguey city - that was also a 2 star, and just the basics provided for survival. At least the beer on tap was just as cold as anywhere else. But even then, it was a struggle to have a good time, so I can only imagine what your buddy just went through there in Santiago de Cuba, CW. At least I had electricity 24/7 at the Mayanabo all those years ago. I survived on eating only hard boiled eggs in the buffet - the rest was too mysterious. Went across the road for a pizza and sandwi's later each day and to hang with the chicas there at that Cuban dinner too. They would teach me Spanish... among other things.

About the Cubans historically getting through tough times together - very true! But only because they've had to. They have no choice other than to suck it up, buttercup. My best friend there in Camaguey city, Maikel, is at the end of his rope there now - figuratively! But when talking with Maikel while I was there over Christmas and New Year's, we got talking about the rate of suicides in Cuba these days. I've always known that suicide has been a serious problem within Cuban society given the difficulties of trying to live there, but Maikel told me that it's now reached epidemic proportions for those Cubans who receive no help from others living on the outside. The feeling of despair in Cuba just sucks the life out of people. Thank God the rest of us only need to imagine how difficult it must be to survive there and hang onto one's sanity. But like anywhere, some just aren't strong enough and do the unthinkable to finally escape their daily tortures. Terry

Yes 2 star Terry and the funny thing is that the guy has much deniro in his bank accounts. 💰 He paid for his cheapness this time.
I on the other hand, ate like a 👑 in Havana for about 40 CDN average each day. No baloney 🥪 for this chico!

It seems to have always been, that I can recall, that the only way an everyday Cuban can gather wealth is through the tourism sector. Either you work for tips, you own a casa, you have family abroad or you have accumulated some Frens along the way. But money is not always the answer either.

These stories are heartbreaking. I warmly invite you to visit the sub-forum in the Fodorite Lounge and share your experiences.

Thanks for the information about the Fodorite Lounge P.M. For many Cubans day to day life is indeed a struggle, especially those with no access to foreign currency. Inflation, electricity woes and the cost and availability of fuel have made an already difficult situation, even worse.

CW, what most Cubans HAVE TO DO to survive there is work 3 or more jobs to scrape enough money together to be able to buy food and other essentials. My best friend, Maikel, works his state job at the ice cream factory in Camaguey city packing ice cream... but that doesn't provide him with nearly enough money to live properly. Especially like yesterday when the factory sent everyone home without pay because there were no ingredients available on hand to be able to make ice cream, even though they have an enormous generator on site to at least provide the electricity to do so. If it's not one thing it's another, I guess. But Maikel also works a fruit & vegetable cart that he pushes through the barrios on weekends ringing a big brass bell I provided and selling his marked up produce that he initially buys from the large farmer's market a few km's away. Again, that only provides him with peanuts in the way of profit though. Ironically, Maikel earns his best money from manicuring the fronts and backs of enormous palatial casas in Camaguey city with the large gasoline powered weed-wacker that I bought for him there. He's essentially a gardener now too when working for the rich and famous in Cam. Maikel's quite the charmer as well, so they pay him quite good with money and with legs of pork and other proteins provided as tips too. Still, yesterday Maikel told me that he had no ability to buy more gasoline for his motorcycle or for his weed-wacker - the gasoline stations require credit cards and/or hard currency for payment. I told him to talk with my wife there and to siphon off some of our stockpiled gasoline in our garage for his needs - since January 7th, my wife has purchased well over $1,000 Canadian worth of extra gasoline with her credit card for our generator in advance of there being no more gasoline available soon. We've been very proactive together in the face of the coming storm. I'm still hoping that storm can be averted through negotiations and agreements. Terry

Air Canada is ending its seasonal service to Holguin and Santa Clara early. All of their March and April flights have been cancelled.