Electrical Crisis Worsens Venezuelans' Anxiety and Emotional Strain

For the third time this week, Mirtha could not use her fan at night due to electricity cuts lasting up to 12 hours, implemented without a schedule for weeks in her community in Maracaibo, Zulia state. "This is no life, it's a catastrophe," she says, describing the frustration of constantly altering her daily routine because of the lack of power. Blackouts, voltage fluctuations, and perpetual uncertainty about the energy supply have become a daily reality for millions of citizens.

Behind the years-long electrical crisis lies a less visible but equally grave consequence: the progressive deterioration of the population's mental health. Although Venezuela has an installed capacity of 36,732 megawatts (MW), the real availability is barely around 12,415 MW, while national demand is close to 15,000 MW, according to the NGO Monitor Ciudad. This means the National Electric System operates at approximately 36% of its installed capacity, creating a deficit of over 2,000 MW that results in daily power cuts across much of the country.

Western states and the Andean region are among the most affected. In areas of Zulia, Táchira, Mérida, and Trujillo, outages can last between 6 and 12 hours daily. In other regions like Aragua, Carabobo, Lara, and Sucre, interruptions typically range from three to eight hours per day. Caracas remains a relative exception due to prioritized service, though it also experiences increased voltage fluctuations and outages.

The immediate impact includes paralyzed economic activities, damaged appliances, interrupted telecommunications, problems with water supply, and affected hospital services. However, specialists warn about the psychological toll of living permanently under conditions of uncertainty. This year, the country's electricity demand reached its highest level in nine years. While the government attributes this to high temperatures, solar incidence, appliance use, and business reactivation, organizations like Monitor Ciudad point to increased pressure on an already saturated grid due to a slight rise in oil production.