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Cuba Opens More Than 460 Criminal Cases Over Attacks on Power System
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Cuba Opens More Than 460 Criminal Cases Over Attacks on Power System

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Official statement Ongoing story
  • Cuba opened more than 460 criminal investigations from 2025 through the first half of 2026 over alleged sabotage, theft and damage to the national electricity system.
  • The attorney general said most people convicted in 2026 received prison terms of nine to 20 years, while 87% of defendants placed before authorities were held in pretrial detention.
  • More than 300 complaints involved the theft of transformer oil, high-voltage tower parts, cables and other electrical equipment, as Cuba faces a severe energy crisis.

Cuba has opened more than 460 criminal investigations into offenses against its electricity system as the island struggles with a severe energy crisis. The cases cover alleged sabotage, damage, forced theft, theft and receiving stolen goods, according to the country’s attorney general.

The attorney general said the Supreme People’s Court decided in May 2025 that vandalism involving the removal, destruction, alteration or impairment of equipment used by the national electricity system could constitute sabotage. Cuba’s penal code sets punishments for sabotage ranging from seven to 30 years in prison, along with life imprisonment or the death penalty.

constitute the crime of sabotage

— Cuba’s Supreme People’s CourtThe court’s interpretation covers vandalism involving equipment and components used by the national electricity system.

Those convicted in 2026 over crimes against the electricity system have mostly received sentences of nine to 20 years, the attorney general said. Prosecutors have sought severe penalties, citing the impact on the population and the damage caused. Authorities also imposed pretrial detention on 87% of the defendants brought before them. Vehicles, agricultural machinery and other property used in or obtained through the crimes may also be seized or confiscated.

seven to 30 years of imprisonment, life imprisonment or death

— Cuba’s Penal CodeThe code sets out the possible penalties for sabotage.

The most common cases involve the theft of dielectric oil from various transformers and the removal of metal angles from high-voltage towers. More than 300 complaints over those offenses were recorded nationwide from May 2025 through the first half of 2026, with the highest figures reported in Matanzas, Ciego de Ávila, Mayabeque, Santiago de Cuba and Artemisa. Other incidents include cutting and stealing cables, wires and bolts from the distribution network, as well as damage to photovoltaic solar parks.

The attorney general said some alleged offenders have died while trying to steal from energized lines. It described combating crimes affecting electricity generation and distribution as a priority, along with offenses involving water supplies, communications and transport. The statement also blamed a US energy blockade for increasing disruptions to the national system. Cuba has faced a deep energy crisis since mid-2024, partly because of its aging power infrastructure and insufficient investment, while the article says a US oil blockade has worsened conditions since January.

a priority to combat

— Cuba’s attorney generalThe prosecution described action against crimes targeting electricity and other essential services as a national priority.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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